• Intelligence is a fixed or an innate trait.
• Learners base their self-worth on each performance.
• Learners adapt by choosing protective strategies such as withdrawing or cheating.
• Learners hold comparative performance goals rather than learning goals.
• Learners avoid risky academic opportunities.

These learners believe that intelligence is fixed by nature. In other words, intelligence is a stable trait over which the learner has no control.

These learners focus on measuring up to or outperforming others rather than focusing on learning and measuring themselves by quality standards. They may have little control over these external comparisons. In the end, learners operating under the fixed intelligence theory are only as good as their last performance. They base their academic worth on each performance. Since these learners do not believe that they can really improve their respective levels of intelligence or ability, each performance is a proving ground, not necessarily a learning opportunity.

Thus, when met with challenges that may reveal inadequacies, these learners adapt by selecting protective strategies. Reinforcing prior success and focusing on effort and persistence will help these learners suspend doubt about their abilities in challenging venues.

Typical comments from a learner who believes that intelligence is fixed include:

Teachers or students with a fixed mindset are challenged to engage with new content. When you have students who demonstrate traits of a fixed mindset, you will need to differentiate the learning for them so they are encouraged to engage in learning, thinking, and reasoning. When possible, design learning activities that offer students choice and encourage initiative. Doing so promotes student buy-in and ownership. The highest level of student engagement occurs when students exercise initiative in formulating questions and designing investigations.