Myths of Meritocracy

Myths of Meritocracy

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

Nepal, Ghost Armies, Myths of Meritocracy, Opting Out of Tests

Episode: Nepal, Ghost Armies, Myths of Meritocracy, Opting Out of Tests

  • Apr 30, 2015 9:00 pm
  • 18:26 mins

Guest: Mahesh Srinivasan, assistant professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley America’s identity is underpinned by a strong sense that with enough hard work, anything is possible— even rising from rags to riches. So, many American children are raised to believe that failure is a result of their own efforts and that working a little harder can mean success in school or on the playing field. On the other hand, if children are frequently told things like “You’re so smart,” or “You’re just not a math person,” they may be inclined to think their success is beyond their control. It’s this dichotomy that psychology professor Mahesh Srinivasan at the University of California, Berkeley set out to study in an article published this month in the journal Developmental Science. Why do some children believe their destiny is in their own hands and others believe they have little control over success in life?