Do people really learn from mistakes? Researchers say no—but it can be fixed

Contents:

• What really happens when we make mistakes
• Why it's hard to learn from mistakes
• How to change your attitude towards mistakes

What Really Happens When We Make Mistakes

In modern society, mistakes are perceived not only as a natural phenomenon, but also as an opportunity for growth, they note Researchers. However, human nature often prevents us from learning important lessons from negative experiences, as it is easier to forget failures than to deeply analyze them. Laura Eskris-Winkler and Ailet Fischbach conducted a series of studies using two games to test this hypothesis. The research aims to understand how we can use mistakes to improve skills and make more informed decisions in the future.

• "Facing Failure." In this game, participants are presented with a series of multiple-choice questions. They can succeed by learning from negative feedback (a simple "The answer is wrong" or with additional conditions).
• "Mystery Box." Participants are asked to choose from three imaginary boxes: two of them contain money (one box contains a larger amount, the other a smaller one), while the third box is a losing one—it contains no money, or, more accurately, it could even mean "minus one cent." Each participant could receive a hint from the organizer about either which box is the losing one or which one contains a smaller prize. Obviously, if you know which box is the losing one, you can then choose either of the remaining two, and it will definitely contain a prize (larger or smaller). However, if you know which box contains the smaller prize, then, when choosing between the other two, you can either win a large prize or lose and receive nothing.

The studies, conducted by scientists in various settings, involved approximately three thousand participants. The experiments with games yielded important conclusions about the process of human learning from their own mistakes. The results showed that many people do not always learn from their failures, opening up new perspectives on the mechanisms of learning and development.

The first finding is that people tend to "disengage" when they make mistakes. This means they lose interest in what's happening, including the useful information that could be gleaned from their mistakes. This tendency is observed even in situations where the error could lead to significant gains. Inattention and apathy impact memory and other aspects, which can be detrimental to the learning process. It is important to realize that mistakes are not only an opportunity to learn, but also a chance to improve your skills and knowledge.

This conclusion is clearly demonstrated by one of the experiments conducted in the context of studying reactions to failures. In this experiment, 300 call center employees provided their answers to a series of questions related to customer support. The experimental process consisted of two stages, each of which focused on different aspects of customer interaction and identified factors influencing service quality. The results of this study can be useful for improving customer service strategies and increasing the efficiency of call centers.

• First, participants took a test of ten questions with two answer options. Some of them received positive feedback ("you answered correctly") for the first four correct answers, and some received negative feedback ("your answer is incorrect") for the first four incorrect answers. All other answers were simply counted.

• In the second stage, participants answered only those questions for which they received feedback, but slightly modified. For example, the first question asked, "How much money do American companies lose annually due to poor customer service?" and the second question asked, "Which of the two answer options below is not the amount of money American companies lose annually due to poor customer service?" Because there were only two options, any feedback—both positive and negative—implied that the answer in the first step could easily be extracted and used in the second step.

The study showed that negative feedback does not promote learning. In the final test, the group that received such feedback performed worse than the group that received positive comments. Moreover, as the authors of the study note, participants could have chosen their answers randomly, and this would not have affected the final results. The researchers further found that even with a significant incentive in the form of a bonus exceeding 900 times the participation fee, mistakes did not lead to learning. This highlights the importance of the approach to feedback and its impact on the educational process.

The second finding is that people form self-perceptions based on their mistakes. Failures can lead to doubts about one's own abilities and capabilities, as well as a feeling of loss of control. This has potentially negative consequences for both the learning process and psychological well-being. People often have difficulty overcoming a sense of learned helplessness. Once they experience it, they begin to believe they cannot change certain circumstances, which can significantly reduce their motivation and self-confidence.

The third finding is that people lose motivation under the influence of criticism or negative experiences, especially for beginners. If a person does not receive sufficient support and confidence in their abilities, they begin to doubt the possibility of achieving their goals and may decide to abandon what they have started. On the other hand, focusing exclusively on successes and ignoring mistakes also leads to negative consequences: it can lead to the formation of an inflated ego and hinder learning from one's own failures. Therefore, it's important to find a balance between recognizing achievements and analyzing mistakes to maintain motivation and develop.

Learning from mistakes and capitalizing on them is challenging. Researchers identify several barriers that hinder this process. It's important to recognize that mistakes can become valuable lessons if approached correctly. Understanding these barriers can help you overcome challenges and improve your personal and professional growth.

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Adults often reject new knowledge for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that they already have a strong belief system and worldview. As they mature and gain life experience, they may become less open to new ideas and concepts. Fear of change also plays a significant role. New knowledge can cause anxiety, as it requires reconsidering a familiar lifestyle or work.

Furthermore, a lack of time and resources can limit learning opportunities. Busy with work and family responsibilities, many adults simply do not find the time to learn new things. It is also worth noting that some people may doubt their ability to absorb information, especially if they have had negative learning experiences in the past.

The social environment also influences the perception of new knowledge. If the people around you support conservative views, this can contribute to resistance to new ideas. Therefore, to successfully acquire new knowledge, it is important to create a supportive atmosphere where adults can feel confident and motivated.

Why Mistakes Are Hard to Learn

Laura Eskris-Winkler and Ailet Fischbach identify two main types of barriers that prevent people from extracting important information from their own mistakes: emotional and cognitive. Emotional barriers arise from negative feelings associated with failure, such as fear, shame, or disappointment. These emotions can make it difficult to analyze mistakes and learn useful lessons. Cognitive barriers involve thinking when a person cannot objectively evaluate their actions and consequences. This can manifest as bias or an inability to consider alternative explanations for their mistakes. Understanding these barriers is important for personal growth and effective learning from experience. Emotional barriers are closely linked to a person's ego. People often tend to evaluate themselves rather than objective circumstances. Mistakes can undermine self-confidence, and when we make them, we often try to change our focus, trying to prove our worth. These efforts distract from reflection and reduce interest and motivation. One study found that people who received negative feedback were significantly less satisfied with their performance on subsequent tasks than those who actually achieved it. This suggests that mistakes influence perception and motivation, and even opportunities for success may not restore previous interest. Understanding these mechanisms can help overcome emotional barriers and increase self-confidence. Cognitive barriers arise from people's aversion to mistakes and perceptual biases. A striking example of this is the Wason task, developed by American psychologist Peter Wason in the 1960s. The experiment requires participants to determine the truth of a statement using cards with different colors and meanings. For example, the statement might be formulated as: "Every card with a circle is yellow on one side and a different color on the other." Laura Eskris-Winkler and Ailet Fischbach emphasize that people intuitively focus on cards that are likely to lead to the correct answer (in this case, cards with a circle). However, to achieve a true result, it is important to consider "incorrect" cards as well. This demonstrates that people tend to place greater emphasis on potentially successful decisions than on those that may appear unsuccessful. Understanding cognitive barriers can help overcome bias and improve decision-making.

The researchers note that if information that does not match expectations receives less attention, then a failure that violates these expectations may be ignored. This underscores the importance of consciously perceiving information and its impact on our perception of reality. Ignoring negative factors can lead to underestimating potential risks and problems, which in turn can impact decision making. It's important to pay attention to all aspects of information to avoid potential setbacks and improve the quality of decisions.

Cognitive barriers often arise from the difficulty of learning from mistakes, as opposed to successful actions. A correct answer is easy to reproduce, whereas with mistakes, the situation is different: you need to figure out what the error was. This process requires significant effort and can be difficult, leading to a feeling that a misstep brings no benefit. However, it is important to understand that analyzing mistakes can be a valuable source of knowledge and contribute to personal growth.

As an example, the researcher cites the results of a series of experiments with the "Mystery Box" game. Participants are asked to choose from three boxes those containing a cash reward. They are given a clue about the box containing a small amount of money or the one containing no money. The most rational approach is to figure out which box is empty. Knowing the location of the empty box, participants can be confident that the two remaining boxes contain cash prizes. This game illustrates important aspects of decision-making and strategic thinking under uncertainty.

Approximately one-third of study participants failed to succeed in the game because they failed to take advantage of the opportunity to choose. They requested to see a box of money and did not realize that the information about an empty box could have been a useful cue. This occurred even though their self-esteem would not have been harmed by choosing the information about the empty box, since it was only a cue option and not the final outcome of the game.

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A negative mood makes people more attentive to factual errors. In a negative emotional state, people become more critical and prone to analyzing information, which can lead to the identification of inaccuracies and flaws. This behavior is associated with the fact that a negative mood activates analytical thinking, allowing people to more thoroughly check facts and evaluate information. Thus, negative emotions can play an important role in improving critical perception and increasing attention to detail.

How to Change Your Attitude Towards Mistakes

Laura Eskris-Winkler and Aylet Fishbach present a number of solutions aimed at improving the emotional and cognitive spheres. Some of the proposed methods may be useful to a general audience, while others are more targeted at specialists in the field of educational technology. These solutions help improve the effectiveness of learning and improve the emotional perception of information.

The researchers identify two main approaches to overcoming emotional barriers. The first method involves recognizing and analyzing your emotions, which allows you to better understand the reasons for their occurrence. The second method involves the use of practices aimed at managing emotions, such as meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy. These methods help people cope with internal conflicts and increase emotional resilience. Applying these techniques can significantly improve your quality of life and interpersonal relationships.

The first way to reduce the impact of self-esteem is to prevent it from being hurt by mistakes. One effective solution is to learn from the mistakes of others, rather than from your own experience. Laura Eskris-Winkler and Ailet Fischbach emphasize that in such cases, people not only avoid discomfort but also experience greater engagement in the learning process. This approach promotes skill development and confidence, allowing you to focus on growth and increased effectiveness.

During the experiment "Faced with Failure," the first group of participants completed tasks and received feedback, while the second group observed the process and results of others' games. Participants who played themselves learned more from their successes than from their mistakes. Observers, in turn, successfully learned from both the victories and failures of other players. The authors of the study emphasize that such "negative role models" have their value: people learn not only from mistakes, but also from their attitude toward them. For example, children raised by parents who view mistakes as learning opportunities accept their failures more easily than those raised in families where mistakes are viewed as problems. This emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude toward failure in the learning and development process.

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There is a simpler technique called distancing. For example, if student Ivan made a mistake, he could change the question "Why did I fail?" to "Why did Ivan fail?" Although this approach will not provide the same profound effect as the opportunity to learn from the experience of others, it still helps to look at the situation from a different perspective and reduce the emotional intensity a little. Distancing allows you to separate personal experiences from the analysis of the situation, which promotes a more objective perception of mistakes and their consequences.

The second method is to "strengthen" self-esteem. In this case, a person is encouraged to share their mistakes, motivating or inspiring others. People are willing to give advice, and this is a safe way to transform an unpleasant experience into a positive one. Thus, mistakes become an example for others, demonstrating that even failures can bring valuable lessons and inspiration.

Developing a growth mindset helps strengthen the ego and improve adaptability to difficulties. When a person believes that their abilities can develop, they cope with failures more easily. Mistakes don't become a death sentence for them, but are perceived as part of the learning process, where even negative experiences yield valuable lessons. However, this type of thinking requires constant practice and a conscious approach. By cultivating it, a person opens up new horizons for personal and professional growth, which ultimately leads to success.

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A growth mindset is a key factor in improving academic performance. This concept implies that abilities and intelligence can be developed through perseverance, learning, and practice. When students adopt a growth mindset, they begin to perceive challenges as learning opportunities rather than obstacles. This promotes greater engagement in the learning process and improved performance.

With this approach, students become more open to feedback and willing to work on their shortcomings. They learn to set goals and develop strategies to achieve them, which also increases their motivation and self-confidence. A growth mindset helps develop critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability, which are important skills not only in school but also in life.

Therefore, implementing a growth mindset into the educational process can significantly improve academic performance and help students achieve more in their academic goals.

The researchers propose three effective solutions for removing cognitive barriers. These approaches aim to improve the understanding and perception of information, which can significantly improve the effectiveness of learning and decision-making. The first solution is to make information more accessible and intuitive, taking into account the perceptions of different groups. The second solution involves the use of interactive methods that promote active participation and engagement. The third solution involves implementing technologies that help visualize data and make it more understandable. These initiatives can significantly reduce the impact of cognitive barriers and promote a deeper understanding of the topics under consideration.

• Reduce the effort it takes a person to think through an error.

There are several effective ways to extract useful lessons from errors. For example, it is important to remind a person that even a simple statement, "this is wrong," can contain valuable insights. Researchers also emphasize the importance of the environment in the learning process. In a social context, the perception of one's own actions and their consequences can vary. Research shows that it is easier for a person to draw conclusions from poor planning, for example, if he missed a meeting with friends, than if he missed a train. This underscores the importance of context in learning and self-reflection.

• Give more cognitive resources.

You can give a person more time to solve a problem or reduce the number of problems to allow for deeper reflection on errors. This approach also includes regular practice and the accumulation of experience. Laura Eskris-Winkler and Ailet Fischbach note that this is precisely why experts cope with mistakes more easily and learn from them better. Regular practice helps free up resources for more effective learning and skill development. Changing the culture of attitudes toward mistakes. Culture has a significant impact on people's approaches to achieving goals. Research shows that there are two main approaches: preventive and promotional. The preventive approach involves minimizing negative consequences, while the promotional approach is focused on maximizing positive results. People who choose a preventive approach are more likely to recognize their mistakes and remember them, while supporters of the promotional approach focus on achieving success. These differences are largely due to cultural and social factors. Countries with a predominance of a preventive approach tend to emphasize learning from mistakes. Given cultural aspects, it is important to adapt approaches in different societies. While changing cultural habits at the community level can be difficult, it is quite feasible at the organizational level.

Laura Eskris-Winkler and Aileth Fishbach emphasize the importance of learning from mistakes and finding ways to capitalize on them. The researchers also note that learning from successes appears to be easier and more intuitive. Aileth Fishbach summarized the results of her experiments, pointing to the benefits of successful experiences. This confirms the need for a conscious approach to analyzing both mistakes and successes to achieve personal and professional growth.

Should failure be viewed as a positive? In fact, failure is never a wonderful event, no matter its magnitude. Mistakes are not enjoyable, and learning from them can sometimes be difficult. It is important to recognize that by accepting failure, we risk limiting our opportunities for learning and development. True growth comes not from failure, but from recognizing and analyzing the causes of failure, which allows us to learn valuable lessons from them.