Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure

When I praise the family dog for doing a good thing, I'm not sure if it matters what words I say to him. He seems equally excited and happily wags his tail whether I say "good boy!" or "bad doggie!" as long as I use the same tone of voice.Of course, people are different, and the words we use do matter in the feedback we offer. So if we're trying to build up a student's confidence, and embolden them to take on new challenges, what kind of praise works best?A 2014 study suggests that not all praise has the same effect. And that even if well-intentioned, one particular type of praise can backfire and even heighten a student's fear of failure. 😳Get all the nerdy details right here:Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of FailureMore from The Bulletproof MusicianGet the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.Live and self-paced courses