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A month or so into the fall semester, as my students are encountering their first round of exams and getting into more complex topics in their courses, I'm seeing a cresting wave of all-or-nothing thinking in our sessions. Also known as "cognitive distortion" or "black-and-white thinking," this common pattern refers to seeing things as good or bad, perfect or disastrous, acknowledging only the possibilities at binary opposing extremes. In this Simply Psychology article defining and explaining the phenomenon, cited causes include the human desire for clarity (potentially heightened in chaotic times), fear of failure (often linked to perfectionism), and learned patterns (for example, parents who have always pushed for top achievement). Knowing how present these causes are in college students, it doesn't surprise me that I see this type of thinking more and more frequently.
One of the challenges of student all-or-nothing thinking is that even as it seems to provide clarity, it also drains agency. If a student fails their first Calc II exam and decides they are doomed, they may become unable to see actions they can take or possible paths to something other than an F. If a student forgets one assignment and decides that they are unable to do anything on time, they may feel paralyzed to start or submit anything further for that class.
In addition to this pattern impairing learning potential, it also is a hazard to getting a job, keeping a job and/or getting promoted. We need to coach students to connect how their patterns as learners impacts their ability to earn.
When working with students who struggle with all-or-nothing thinking (usually on the "nothing" end), I invite them to look at knowledge, competence, and skill in the context of a spectrum. I ask questions that encourage them to consider what I call the "possible middle." Here are some examples:
- What grade between A and F would be OK or acceptable to you? What actions can you take to work toward that result?
- You wanted to study for two weeks, but found yourself only studying the night before: For the next exam, what is a middle ground you find doable?
- Where or when in your academic life have you achieved a "good enough" result from your work? How did that affect your momentum?
- You've said you feel you will fail this class — what work have you turned in that you did not fail?
- What evidence do you have — assignments, efforts, quizzes, study habits, etc. — that indicates the possibility of being somewhere in the middle performance-wise this semester?
- Between all or nothing, when it comes to this [paper, exam, project, assignment], what types of "some" do you see as possible in the middle? Which "some" might you reasonably accomplish this week?
Ramp up your coaching strategies in conversation with other coaches at a LifeBound training. The October class begins this Friday and continues for the following two Fridays on Zoom.
To learn more or explore which option is right for you, visit www.lifebound.com.
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