PSY1010 – Touchstone 4 Page 1 Smarter Decisions through Psychology 02.22.2023 Using your problem solving and self and social awareness skill and the information you learned about brain plasticity, motivation, and mindset, answer the questions in this case study assignment to help Monica offer strategies to improve Mark’s chances for doing well on the compliance test. For each question, you should write a paragraph-length response (5–7 sentences) to receive credit for this assignment. You may use your Sophia tutorials as a resource. Question 1: What kind of mindset does Mark need to embrace to be successful? Describe the impact of mindset on success: Mark needs a growth mindset to succeed. A growth mindset is being able to adapt, change, and learn. Mark needs to embrace a growth mindset because he is a smart and capable person with many years of experience in the industry. He is unnecessarily struggling by relying on outdated technology and fixed mindset thinking. If you have a fixed mindset, you believe you are born with a certain intelligence that can’t be changed. This is false. It takes practice and a willingness to learn. Monica can help Mark by showing him that approaching things in a new way could make things easier for him in the long run. Technology usually improves our lives, not hampers it. Question 2: What type of mindset does Mark currently have, and how does it affect his brain? Explain how mindset affects learning. Mark currently has a fixed mindset. He believes he can’t learn new ways of doing things, or that the new way isn’t as ‘good” as his way Mark should embrace the new security measures because he can learn new ways of approaching an old problem. Maybe he is afraid to fail and this could be embarrassing for him. He believes that there is a barrier beyond which he could not improve his knowledge and expertise. The brain is very capable of making new connections and strengthening existing ones, meaning learning new things is definitely achievable. He needs to realize that learning is a process and that he could continue to grow and develop his skills if willing to put in the effort. Once he realizes this, his confidence will improve. He needs to take advantage of online tutorials and courses on security topics, as well as any help that Monica and Jessica offer. Having a fixed mindset has a significant impact on the brain. It can lead to increased negative thinking which in turn reduces motivation. It can become a vicious cycle of negativity. PSY1010 – Touchstone 4 Page 2 Question 3: What advice should Monica give to Mark, and why? Describe a specific strategy that Monica can suggest to Mark to improve his memory and better prepare for the compliance test. I believe Monica should advise Mark to look at in a new way. Instead of thinking of it like a test, he should think of it as a challenge. If he is competitive this may give him just the right nudge to believe in himself. She could also offer other suggestions he could try. For instance, each time he starts thinking negatively, stop and take a breath. He could try to reword his thoughts to think positively instead. For instance if he thinks, “I am not capable of learning this new stuff, I am going to fail,” he needs to stop and say, “I will give this a chance, if nothing else, I will know two ways of doing the same thing instead of just one.” She could tell him to add the word “yet” to his thoughts. “I don’t know this information yet.” (This has made a huge difference in my life when I start thinking negatively.) It’s a tiny step toward cultivating a growth mindset, but can have a huge impact. By retraining your brain to think positively you can begin to develop a growth mindset. She could also remind him to trust himself. He knows he is intelligent so just remind him that everything he has learned in his life is because he had the confidence to give it a try. Question 4: If Mark were your coworker, what important aspects of the situation would you want to keep in mind when offering advice and strategies to him? Why do you think this is important? Explain the importance of tailoring advice and strategies directly to Mark’s situation. If I were Mark’s coworker, I would tailor my advice for him to include his strengths and abilities. Understanding what motivates and encourages him would work best. Tailored advice also needs to benefit him during this particular situation. Taking the time to understand those things lets him know we are rooting for him to succeed. This builds trust and open communication between coworkers, and strengthens the workplace bond.
