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GROWTH, FIXED, AND MIXED MINDSETS

MINDSET SYSTEM PROFILES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND THEIR ROLE IN ENGAGEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2021

Nigel Mantou Lou Open the ORCID record for Nigel Mantou Lou [Opens in a new window] ,
Kathryn Everhart Chaffee Open the ORCID record for Kathryn Everhart Chaffee [Opens in a new window]  and
Kimberly A. Noels
Nigel Mantou Lou*
Affiliation:
University of Victoria and University of Alberta
Kathryn Everhart Chaffee
Affiliation:
Université du Québec à Montréal and University of Alberta
Kimberly A. Noels
Affiliation:
University of Alberta
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Nigel Mantou Lou, Department of Psychology, Centre for Youth & Society, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8W 2Y2. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Language learners’ mindsets–their beliefs about whether language is a fixed aptitude that is immutable or a malleable capacity that can be developed–are associated with achievement goals, language-use anxiety, reappraisals of challenges, and persistence. This study integrates these mindset-related constructs to identify mindset-system profiles among foreign language learners. A latent profile analysis of 234 university students in foreign language courses revealed three distinct profiles. The fixed (21.8%) and growth (20.5%) profiles showed distinct and contrasting patterns of goals, reappraisals, anxiety, and persistence. However, most learners (57.7%) endorsed a mixed profile. Although mindsets alone did not predict grades, students in the growth profile were consistently most engaged and achieved the highest grades, suggesting that mindsets function as a system, in concert with related factors. This person-centered approach enhances our understanding of the complexity and functions of the mindset system, as well as the motivation of learners with mixed mindsets.

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Research Article
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Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 44 , Issue 3 , July 2022 , pp. 607 - 632
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© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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The study in this article earned an Open Materials badge for transparent practices. The materials are available at https://osf.io/57ahw/

This research is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC IG 435-2015-1825) awarded to the third author. We would like to thank Dayuma Ixchel Vargas Lascano, Jayasree Narayanan, and Laura Gurney for their help with this research.

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