A weight‐related growth mindset increases negative attitudes toward obese people |
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Authors: | Nic Hooper Alison Crumpton Michael D. Robinson Brian P. Meier |
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Affiliation: | 1. University of the West of England, Bristol, UK;2. University of Warwick, Coventry, UK;3. North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota;4. Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania |
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Abstract: | In implicit personality theory, people with entity views or a fixed mindset perceive characteristics (e.g., intelligence) as uncontrollable, whereas people with incremental views or a growth mindset perceive characteristics as controllable. In addition to other benefits, the literature sometimes suggests that having a growth mindset will protect against prejudice, which the current two studies examine in terms of negative attitudes toward obese people. Participants (total N = 501) were randomly assigned to complete a questionnaire assessing attitudes toward an obese or nonobese person and a self‐theory questionnaire also assessed ideas about body weight. People with a growth mindset, and not fixed mindset, were more likely to have negative attitudes toward obese individuals, pointing to a potential downside of growth mindset in the obesity domain. |
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Keywords: | attitudes mindset obesity |
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