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The Structure and Motivational Significance of Early Beliefs about Ability

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Title: The Structure and Motivational Significance of Early Beliefs about Ability
Language: English
Authors: Melis Muradoglu (ORCID 0000-0002-5162-8741), Bethany Lassetter, Madison N. Sewell, Lenna Ontai, Christopher M. Napolitano, Carol Dweck, Kali Trzesniewski, Andrei Cimpian
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2026 62(3):583-596.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Elementary School Students, Student Attitudes, Beliefs, Intelligence, Cognitive Ability, Nature Nurture Controversy, Individual Characteristics, Goal Orientation, Biological Influences, Social Influences, Adjustment (to Environment), Success, Intervention, Learning Motivation
Geographic Terms: United States, Canada
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001910
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: Adults hold a broad range of beliefs about intellectual ability. Key examples include beliefs about its malleability, its distribution in the population, whether high levels of it ("brilliance") are necessary for success, its origins, and its responsiveness to intervention. Here, we examined the structure and motivational significance of this network of consequential beliefs in a sample of elementary school-age children (5- to 11-year-olds, N = 231; 116 girls, 112 boys, three gender nonbinary children; predominantly White and Asian children from relatively high-income backgrounds). We assessed five beliefs: (a) growth mindsets (malleability), (b) universal mindsets (distribution), (c) brilliance beliefs (necessity for success), and beliefs about ability's (d) innateness and (e) responsiveness to intervention. Even among the youngest children, these beliefs were empirically distinguishable and also largely coherent, in that they related to each other in expected ways. Moreover, the five beliefs assessed here were differentially related to children's learning (vs. performance) goals, preference for challenging tasks, and evaluative concern (i.e., concern that mistakes will lead others to evaluate the self negatively). Even when adjusting for age, children with growth mindsets were oriented toward learning goals and preferred challenging tasks; children who believed ability has innate origins preferred performance goals; and younger (but not older) children who thought success required brilliance expressed more concern over being evaluated. These findings speak to the multifaceted nature of children's concepts of ability and highlight their significance for children's achievement-related attitudes and behavior in the early school years.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/nk6m8/?view_only=f576caa2759543ba91f75bd38634988b
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503354
Database: ERIC
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  Data: The Structure and Motivational Significance of Early Beliefs about Ability
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melis+Muradoglu%22">Melis Muradoglu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5162-8741">0000-0002-5162-8741</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bethany+Lassetter%22">Bethany Lassetter</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Madison+N%2E+Sewell%22">Madison N. Sewell</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lenna+Ontai%22">Lenna Ontai</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Christopher+M%2E+Napolitano%22">Christopher M. Napolitano</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carol+Dweck%22">Carol Dweck</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kali+Trzesniewski%22">Kali Trzesniewski</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrei+Cimpian%22">Andrei Cimpian</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 62(3):583-596.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: 14
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beliefs%22">Beliefs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligence%22">Intelligence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Ability%22">Cognitive Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nature+Nurture+Controversy%22">Nature Nurture Controversy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individual+Characteristics%22">Individual Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Goal+Orientation%22">Goal Orientation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biological+Influences%22">Biological Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Influences%22">Social Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adjustment+%28to+Environment%29%22">Adjustment (to Environment)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Success%22">Success</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Motivation%22">Learning Motivation</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/dev0001910
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  Data: Adults hold a broad range of beliefs about intellectual ability. Key examples include beliefs about its malleability, its distribution in the population, whether high levels of it ("brilliance") are necessary for success, its origins, and its responsiveness to intervention. Here, we examined the structure and motivational significance of this network of consequential beliefs in a sample of elementary school-age children (5- to 11-year-olds, N = 231; 116 girls, 112 boys, three gender nonbinary children; predominantly White and Asian children from relatively high-income backgrounds). We assessed five beliefs: (a) growth mindsets (malleability), (b) universal mindsets (distribution), (c) brilliance beliefs (necessity for success), and beliefs about ability's (d) innateness and (e) responsiveness to intervention. Even among the youngest children, these beliefs were empirically distinguishable and also largely coherent, in that they related to each other in expected ways. Moreover, the five beliefs assessed here were differentially related to children's learning (vs. performance) goals, preference for challenging tasks, and evaluative concern (i.e., concern that mistakes will lead others to evaluate the self negatively). Even when adjusting for age, children with growth mindsets were oriented toward learning goals and preferred challenging tasks; children who believed ability has innate origins preferred performance goals; and younger (but not older) children who thought success required brilliance expressed more concern over being evaluated. These findings speak to the multifaceted nature of children's concepts of ability and highlight their significance for children's achievement-related attitudes and behavior in the early school years.
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  Data: 2026
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
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