Individuals who believe traits such as intelligence or “fixed” and immutable are less likely to ask for help from an anthropomorphized virtual assistant.
A new study tested students on questions that were supposed to reflect intelligence. Students could ask for a hint from a computer helper. In some instances, the helper was given human-like features, while in other cases it was not. Students had no problem asking for help from the non-human computer. When the helper had human features, however, some of the students were embarrassed to ask for help. These were the students with a more “fixed” mindset.
Conclusions
This fascinating study has practical implications for many coaches or clinicians. We assume that when are clients need our help, they will ask for it. Clearly, however, this may not always be the case. Professionals should do their best to promote a “growth mindset” in their clients as well as realize that sometimes they may need help even when they do not ask.
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