Having a positive mindset in math may do more than just help students feel more confident about their skills and more willing to keep trying when they fail; it may prime their brains to think better.

A challenging math problem can make some students break into a cold sweat and others excited to wrap their brains around a puzzle. A wealth of research suggests that a student’s academic ...

Catherine Good has experienced stereotype threat herself, although she didn’t know it at the time. She started her academic career in pure math, expecting to get a Ph.D. But somewhere along the way ...