The State of Psychology Today: Growth Mindset, Antifragility and More

In the 21st century the discipline of psychology has evolved into something far more diverse and sophisticated than its founders like Freud and Jung ever envisioned. Through advances in neuroscience, medical technology, new research methodologies, and an explosion of diverse theoretical models, we now have unprecedented tools for understanding human behavior, cognition, and development both individually and culturally. This progress deserves recognition and celebration.

The 1990s represented something of a high-water mark for psychology's recent influence on mainstream society and institutions, particularly through the viral psychological concepts of Flow and Emotional Intelligence. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of Flow, introduced to the mainstream through his exceptional 1990 book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, has demonstrated remarkable staying power and practical influence. Csikszentmihalyi, a professor of psychology at Claremont Graduate University and former head of the psychology department at the University of Chicago, identified this state of complete immersion in an activity where challenge and skill are optimally balanced. Flow has transformed how we understand peak performance in fields ranging from sports to art to business.

Unlike many psychological theories that remained academic, Flow entered the vernacular and practical application across multiple domains. It influenced the design of video games, educational approaches, athletic training, personal crafts and workplace engagement strategies. Major businesses incorporated Flow principles into their workplace design and productivity philosophies. Flow states are now actively cultivated in various settings, representing a genuine translation of psychological theory into practical application.

Similarly, Emotional Intelligence, popularized by Daniel Goleman's 1995 bestseller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, transformed conversations about success, empathy and leadership. Goleman, a science journalist with a doctorate in psychology from Harvard, built upon academic work by psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer to create a construct that resonated widely. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) challenged the primacy of IQ and cognitive abilities by emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing emotions.

EQ has been particularly notable in organizational settings. Leadership development programs, hiring practices, and performance evaluations at numerous companies now incorporate EQ principles. Schools implemented social-emotional learning curricula based on these concepts. EQ accentuates self-awareness, empathy, relationship management, allowing it to become standard in discussions of effective leadership, personal and professional development.

Flow and Emotional Intelligence are different from the most theories I will mention later. Their successful translation into practical applications while maintaining some degree of conceptual integrity is precisely what many current models of psychology lack. While not without criticism or oversimplification in their popular forms, these two outstanding theories managed to cross the gap between academic psychology and practical implementation in ways that transformed institutions and individual practices.

Both concepts achieved what few psychological theories have before or since - they crossed from academic/analytical psychology into widespread practical application while maintaining their core validity. They positively influenced public discourse and transformed institutional practices across multiple domains.

Since 1995, it's difficult to identify new psychological concepts that have achieved comparable breadth and depth of societal integration. While there have certainly been influential ideas, none seem to have transformed practices across as many fields or penetrated organizational structures as thoroughly as Flow and EQ have. One significant commonality between them was that both applied equally to academia and to corporate America. No recent theory of psychology can make that claim.

Nevertheless, while no single theory has revolutionized society, numerous other approaches offer valuable insights into human cognition, emotion, and behavior.

Psychologist Angela Duckworth's work on Grit, for example, has influenced discussions about achievement and success. By highlighting the importance of passion and perseverance for long-term goals, Grit Theory suggests that sustained effort often matters more than raw talent. Critics note that this approach sometimes underemphasizes structural factors that impact achievement, yet its focus on persistence remains influential.

This century has seen a proliferation of various psychological approaches. 50 years ago, there were only a few relevant theories in practice. Now there are dozens. To name just a few, there is Self-Determination Theory, Psychological Flexibility, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Predictive Processing and Bayesian Brain models, Network Theory, Positive Psychology, Polyvagal Theory, Constructive Developmental Theory, Orders of Consciousness, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Shame Resilience Theory, Emotional Granularity, The Meaning Maintenance Model, Terror Management Theory, and Relational Frame Theory.

To give an overview of each of these is really not the point of this essay. Google them. Each is based upon years of scientific research by distinguished psychologists and psychiatrists. Suffice it to say that each of these is a distinctive lens for viewing how human beings behave, sometimes in specific situations. My incomplete list is meant to emphasize the thriving diversity in psychology today, even if comparatively few people have ever heard of any of these approaches to human cognition.

Two other relatively recent theories of human psychology have particularly caught my eye over the past decade or so. The concept of Growth Mindset, developed by Stanford's Carol Dweck, has gained significant traction in educational and organizational settings. This theory distinguishes between fixed mindsets (believing abilities are innate and unchangeable, that you have to work with what you have) and growth mindsets (viewing abilities as developable through effort, you can transform what you have to work with). Though sometimes oversimplified like anything else in popular discourse, research continues to explore its subtleties and applications across different contexts and populations.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb's concept of Antifragility has crossed from systems theory into psychology, suggesting that certain systems benefit from stressors rather than merely resisting them. Something is antifragile to the extent that its struggle does not lead to trauma or breakage but to resilience and greater strength. This perspective offers insights into mental elasticity and adaptation that go beyond traditional conceptions of stress management. I'll apply these in a moment.

For me personally, Growth Mindset and Antifragility are two otherwise unrelated theories that speak to my own life most. They have yet to achieve the same impact as Flow and EQ, but both exhibit the potential to become just as mainstream and culturally influential. Growth Mindset is much more than just "believing in yourself." It explains how our mindsets about our lives, how we contextualize ourselves, shape our entire approach to development and achievement.

Those with a “rigid” or orthodox mindset tend to avoid challenges or see them as either a “test” or as judgment upon them, while those with a growth mindset actively seek challenges and view struggle and/or failure as a learning opportunity (this is a fundamental driver of my theory on the near-worthlessness of guilt here and here). Those with a growth mindset understand that effort and failure are characteristics of the path to mastery. It is supported by neuroscience showing how learning physically reshapes neural networks, demonstrating that our abilities aren't fixed but highly plastic.

Antifragility goes beyond the concept of resilience. While resilient systems resist damage and return to their original state, antifragile systems actually get stronger from stress and disorder. It identifies three types of systems: fragile systems that break under stress (like a teacup), resilient systems that resist stress (like a plastic cup), and antifragile systems that improve from stress (like muscle under exercise). It explains how small, frequent stressors strengthen systems, while attempting to eliminate all volatility actually increases fragility.

Technically, this is not a psychology like the other theories I've mentioned though there is an obvious behavioral aspect to it. Antifragility is a concept that is applicable to many fields both theoretical and physical. Taleb was an options trader before becoming a Professor of Engineering at New York University to teach his concept. He originated the idea from his work on financial risk analysis but also applied to many other things including advanced surfaces for spacecraft. Nevertheless, Taleb has welcomed the psychological aspects of Antifragility and has delivered many lectures on how Antifragility applies to human behavior.

I cannot think of a more relevant approach to our chaotic world than combining the benefits of Antifragility and Growth Mindset. Psychologically speaking, they complement each other. Growth Mindset provides the psychological foundation for embracing challenges and viewing difficulties as opportunities for development, while Antifragility explains the actual mechanism by which this process works - how systems (including human psychology) can gain from stressors and disorder. (Psychological trauma gets all the headlines but this is a misleading media bias. Hardship is easier to explain as traumatic but, nevertheless, stressors do lead to strength. Indeed, they are required for it. As Nietzsche famously said, that which does not kill us makes us stronger.)

Growth Mindset tells us that our abilities can be developed through effort and learning from failures. It encourages us to embrace the difficulty and see mistakes as learning opportunities. Antifragility explains that the stresses of repeated practice and failure actually build stronger neural pathways and more robust comprehension.

Growth Mindset helps us view emotional challenges as opportunities for development and encourages us to tackle difficult issues when it comes to our approach toward problem-solving. Antifragility explains how facing emotional difficulties can lead to greater emotional strength and stability and shows why this makes us better problem-solvers. Each difficult problem we face makes our problem-solving abilities more robust. They work together to explain how humans and systems actually can function in society today.

When we use both, we see that “trying harder” or “believing in yourself” or “appealing to higher powers” is really overly simplistic. Human psychological development engages with a natural process where challenges and stressors lead to enhanced capabilities rather than to depression or anxiety or dependence. These theories have helped me reframed the relationship I have with my personal challenges with anxiety, for example. Through them I understand it as something to be addressed and worked on without discouragement, as a struggle to be learned from. Again borrowing from Nietzsche, this is self-overcoming.

The integration of these advances in the field of psychology has created unprecedented tools for understanding human behavior and development. Yes, some of these tools remain primarily in academic or professional settings. Yes, their popular applications sometimes oversimplify their insights thereby diluting their effectiveness. Unlike medicine, psychology can be practiced by anybody. We are free to apply any of the previously mentioned theories. Even though most of us don't care about psychology in our lives, the underlying progress in society is real and significant.

This progress is evidence-based and adaptable. Unlike fixed religions or rigid cultural traditions that resist change and attempt to perpetuate old psychological tools, present behavioral and cognitive models evolve/emerge with new evidence. We can test these ideas, refine them, and improve them based on results without being chained to supposedly predetermined structures. When Growth Mindset or Antifragility show positive outcomes it's because these concepts capture something real about how humans function and develop. That is a powerful new tool and skill practice.

Consider how Growth Mindset illuminates societal development patterns. Societies, like individuals, can exhibit either fixed or growth orientations (I have mentioned the psychological connection between society and the individual in my essays on Spiral Dynamics). Those with fixed mindsets resist change and innovation, viewing their current state as immutable. (That's just the way I am or the way things should be.) They interpret challenges as threats to their identity rather than opportunities for development. Such societies tend to discourage experimentation and penalize failure, while viewing success in other societies as threatening rather than inspirational. They emphasize maintaining long-established hierarchies over developing new capabilities.

We see this clearly in societies that cling to outdated economic or political or cultural models despite clear evidence of their limitations, or in educational systems that resist reform because "this is how we've always done it." These societies often stagnate not because they lack resources or opportunities, but because their fixed mindset prevents them from embracing necessary changes. The mindset itself becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, limiting growth and adaptation precisely when they're most needed.

Antifragility provides an equally powerful understanding of societal resilience and adaptation. Through this lens, we can analyze why some societies thrive under pressure while others collapse. Societies that suppress all forms of dissent and disruption often become increasingly fragile, while those that allow controlled levels of social tension tend to develop stronger institutions. Economic systems that attempt to eliminate all market volatility typically create larger, more catastrophic crashes than those that permit smaller, regular corrections. Cultural systems that allow for constant small challenges to traditional norms tend to evolve more sustainably than those that resist all change until forced into dramatic upheaval.

Together, these approaches help explain numerous societal phenomena that might otherwise seem paradoxical. Take the innovation paradox: why do some wealthy, resource-rich societies fail to innovate while poorer ones sometimes leap forward? Growth Mindset shows how a society's beliefs about its potential matter more than its current resources, while Antifragility explains why familiarity and stability can actually inhibit necessary adaptation.

Or consider cultural resilience: why do some cultures maintain their core identity while adapting to new circumstances, while others either rigidly resist change until they break or lose their identity entirely in the face of new influences? The combination of Growth Mindset and Antifragility reveals how successful cultural evolution requires both believing in the possibility of adaptation and understanding how to get stronger through stress.

This societal-level application of psychology offers practical insights for policy-making and institutional design. Rather than trying to eliminate or disregard all social tensions, we should focus on creating systems that become stronger through manageable levels of stress. Instead of protecting existing structures at all costs, we should build institutions capable of learning and adapting. Rather than viewing change as a threat, we should develop societal capacity for continuous evolution. Instead of seeking perfect stability, we should aim for dynamic equilibrium that allows for growth and adaptation.

One measure of how pervasive psychology is can be found in everyday language. In workplace conversations, for example, people routinely discuss "emotional intelligence," "burnout," and "work-life balance" – all concepts that originated in psychological research but are now part of standard business vocabulary.

Media coverage frequently references psychological terms like "trauma," "triggering," "narcissism," and "gaslighting" when discussing everything from politics to celebrity behavior. These terms have moved beyond clinical settings to become common descriptors in social commentary.

This is true in other aspects of our society. In education we hear about "growth mindset," "learning styles," "positive reinforcement," and "executive function" as parents and teachers discuss child development. In sports commentary, analysts regularly discuss athletes' "mental toughness," "visualization techniques," "performance anxiety," and "being in the zone" – all concepts developed through sports psychology research.

Personal development culture expresses psychological concepts like "mindfulness," "self-actualization," "attachment styles," and "resilience" as people seek to understand their own experiences and relationships. Even casual conversations now include psychological terminology, with friends discussing their "coping mechanisms," "love languages," "boundaries," and "triggers" as a normal part of social interaction.

Psychology's multidisciplinary integration with fields like genetics, immunology, economics, and computer science has created entirely new research domains. These collaborations continue to yield innovative perspectives on human experience while addressing complex societal problems that no single discipline could tackle alone.

In the business world, psychology has transformed organizational practices through insights about workplace behavior, leadership dynamics, employee motivation, and team performance. Companies now routinely apply psychological principles to hiring processes, management training, workplace culture development, and conflict resolution. Consumer psychology informs marketing strategies by deepening our understanding of decision-making processes and purchasing behaviors that drive market trends.

Sports psychology emerged as athletes and coaches recognized that mental preparation is as crucial as physical training. Sports psychologists now work with competitors at all levels to enhance performance through techniques like visualization, confidence building, goal setting, and stress management. Elite athletic programs typically include psychological training as a standard component of athlete development.

Academic environments have been reshaped by educational psychology, which examines how people learn and retain information. These insights influence teaching methodologies, curriculum design, and interventions for students with learning differences. School psychologists assess student needs while researchers study motivation, attention, memory processes, and optimal learning conditions to create more effective educational experiences.

Health psychology explores the connections between psychological factors and well-being, developing interventions that address the mind-body relationship. This field has influenced our approach to stress management, pain control, treatment adherence, and recovery from illness. Health psychologists now frequently work alongside medical professionals in integrated healthcare settings.

This expansion reflects psychology's fundamental aim of understanding human cognition, emotion, and behavior across all contexts. As research methods have become more sophisticated and interdisciplinary connections have strengthened, psychology's scope has naturally widened to address the full complexity of human experience. The field continues to evolve, with emerging subspecialties addressing contemporary challenges from climate change responses to artificial intelligence interactions.

Yet we face a paradox. Despite these advances, psychology's impact on society as a whole has been limited at best. The world is not demonstrably a “better place” because of psychology. Compared to all the other things that actually drive most human behavior (consumption, convenience, entertainment, etc.), psychology has not really lived up to the promises you might expect. Since it deals with basic human behavior, you might think that it would have enjoyed a greater impact upon society than it historically has. Perhaps this will come with the passage of time. But, frankly, I don't see it happening.

Most of us don't see therapists and we don't know any psychological theories at all. Despite a century of psychological development and millions of individuals genuinely helped by its diverse methods, the vast majority of us still operate with outdated, medieval psychological models or resist the possibilities (or even the need) of new understanding altogether. For them, that stuff is between you and God.

Nietzsche felt this was a harmful way to address the challenges of your life. He felt traditional institutions of belief and personal improvement ironically contained the seeds of nihilism and meaningless. He viewed psychology as the "queen of the sciences." He wasn't talking about mass therapy or self-help. He saw psychology as a tool for deep understanding of both self and society, particularly valuable for "the few" who could truly grasp and use it. This might sound elitist, but it's just realistic. Not everyone needs to visit a psychologist for psychology to serve its purpose.

Juxtapose Nietzsche with religion. For centuries, religion has claimed to be the ultimate "self-help" program, offering salvation, moral guidance, and life structure. But look at the limitations: rigid doctrines that resist evidence, supernatural claims that are largely inapplicable, and a historical track record of violence, divisiveness and failure to deliver on promises of transformation. Religions might provide comfort and community, but they're not very good at helping us understand actual human behavior and personal or cultural development.

Contemporary psychologies offer something better - evidence-based understanding that can evolve with new information. They are unburdened by the requirement to accept supernatural claims as the solution for our psychological needs, being more practically focused on how humans actually function in the world. These ideas are malleable, discarded or refined as our discoveries about human behavior grow.

By recognizing psychology's primary role as a platform for understanding society and culture, we actually enhance its practical value. It is perhaps our most sophisticated tool for understanding the total experience of being human today. Whether everyone recognizes or uses these insights is beside the point. What matters is that we now have evidence-based, adaptable understandings that help us address issues facing ourselves and society better than any previous system.

The discipline of psychology will continue developing and refining as new evidence emerges. In this sense, psychology truly is the “queen of the sciences.” While it has helped many individuals in all sorts of life situations, it also offers a profound understanding of human experience as a vista for those capable of grasping it as the lens for seeing behavioral possibilities.

Understanding society through psychology helps us design better systems for the future. It values both individual and societal progress that can learn, adapt, and grow stronger through challenges. Psychology is a tool for understanding yourself, others, and whole societies, rather than for therapeutic and transformation purposes alone. Today's leading theories give us better ways to build resilient, adaptable societies rather than just trying to fix broken ones.

Unlike psychology, neuroscience has developed not into a way of framing human experience and human society but, rather, into a science of the mechanics of how the human brain and cognitive system actually works and how to take more control of your life using techniques we are only now discovering. While psychology offers us powerful models like Growth Mindset and Antifragility for understanding human experience and development, neuroscience is revealing the underlying mechanisms for all this.

This distinction matters. Psychology's evolution into a sophisticated means of understanding human experience has given us invaluable tools for making sense of our lives and our society. But with the emergence of neuroscience, we find something different - concrete, biological insights into brain function and new techniques for directly influencing human behavior and cognitive performance. It is to that subject I will turn next.

(Assisted by ChatGPT and Claude.)