If at First You Don't Succeed, What Makes You Try,Try Again? Effects of Implicit Theories and Ability Feedback in a Performance-Oriented Climate

Abstract

Previous research has found that having an “entity theory” of personality (construing personal attributes as fixed) generally results in decreased effort after failure, whereas having an “incremental theory” (viewing personal attributes as malleable) produces sustained or increased effort (Dweck, 1999). The present research hypothesized that effort patterns would reverse in a context emphasizing solely performance goals because it would be best suited for entity theorists. Participants were induced to hold an entity or incremental theory regarding a personality characteristic and were given false feedback from a test supposedly measuring that characteristic. Effort was assessed before and after these manipulations. As hypothesized, an entity theory led to increased effort after failure, whereas an incremental theory resulted in decreased effort. These findings suggest the need to view implicit theories of personality within a more complicated framework.