Mindset as Characteristic Adaptations: Using Response Surface Analysis to Assess Mindset in the Personality System.

Juliette L Ratchford,Emily G Williams,Leanne Bishara,Sarah A Schnitker,Benjamin J Houltberg

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701510

Juliette L Ratchford, Emily G Williams + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701510

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess the congruencies and discrepancies between mindset domains in relation to well-being and sought to demonstrate that mindset falls into the characteristic adaptation level of personality. Data (N = 618, Mage = 16.07, SDage = 0.99) from Wave 1 of a longitudinal study on primarily ethnic-minority adolescents were used in response surface analyses to examine the effects of (in)congruence on well-being. The response surface analyses suggested no overall congruence effect between moral and ability mindsets. However, two-thirds of the participants demonstrated differing levels of mindsets, highlighting the domain specificity of mindsets. Results suggest that mindsets are contextual, domain-specific constructs, suiting the characteristic adaptation level of personality. Congruence for moral and ability mindset does not affect adolescent well-being.

Highlights

Dweck and Leggett (1988) compared two types of mindsets: growth mindset, wherein the person believes that certain attributes are inherently malleable and can be changed, and fixed mindset, in which the person believes that a certain attribute is an unchangeable, static trait
Moral mindsets consider beliefs regarding the nature of the moral self (Chiu et al, 1997), whereas ability mindsets may develop in any performance-based domain including music, art, and sports (Wang et al, 2018)
Significant effects related to the line of congruence suggest interesting points of discussion that may be useful for spurring future research

Summary

Introduction

In the three decades since Dweck and Leggett (1988) first defined mindsets, or the tendencies that people hold in viewing their capabilities and attributes as more or less malleable, research on the topic has proliferated. Dweck and Leggett (1988) compared two types of mindsets: growth mindset, wherein the person believes that certain attributes (e.g., intelligence) are inherently malleable and can be changed, and fixed mindset, in which the person believes that a certain attribute is an unchangeable, static trait. In the three decades since Dweck and Leggett (1988) first defined mindsets, or the tendencies that people hold in viewing their capabilities and attributes as more or less malleable, research on the topic has proliferated. People hold mindsets across many unique domains including intelligence (e.g., Dweck and Leggett, 1988), morality (e.g., Chiu et al, 1997), ability (e.g., Wang et al, 2018), and emotion (e.g., Tamir et al, 2007). Moral mindsets consider beliefs regarding the nature of the moral self (Chiu et al, 1997), whereas ability mindsets may develop in any performance-based domain including music, art, and sports (Wang et al, 2018). The way people organize their goals within the selfsystem, regulate their behavior and emotions in the pursuit of goals, and flourish in a given domain

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