Mind Matters: How is Mindset Correlated with Demographic Variables in Foreign Language Learning?

Year 2020, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 27 - 40, 26.12.2020

İrem Altunel

https://doi.org/10.51726/jlr.739471

Cited By: 1

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between mindset and personal variables of EFL learners at both a private and a state university in Turkey. Quantitative methods were used, and Dweck’s Mindset Instrument (DMI), which was a Likert-scale, was administered to collect a set of data. Three demographic factors namely gender, department of study, and L2 proficiency level were used as variables. The study was conducted at the prepatory school of Gazi University and Atılım University, with 203 participants. The data obtained from the scales were analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS Statistics 21.0. The findings revealed that participants’ mindset differed significantly in regard to gender, and female participants tended to have a growth mindset more than male participants. However, no correlation was found between mindset and participants’ department of study. Likewise, it was discovered that mindset and L2 proficiency level of participants were not correlated with each other.

Keywords

Mindset, foreign language learning

References

• Ablard, K.E., & Mills, C.J. (1996). Implicit theories of intelligence and self- perceptions of academically talented adolescents and children. Journal of Youth and Adolescents, 25, 137-148.
• Aronson, J., Fried, C. B., & Good, C. (2002). Reducing the effects of stereotype threat on African American college students by shaping theories of intelligence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38(2), 113-125.
• Balnaves, M., & Caputi, P. (2001). Introduction to quantitative research methods: An investigative approach. United Kingdom: Sage Publications Ltd.
• Bandura, M., & Dweck, C.S. (1985). The relationship of conceptions of intelligence and achievement goals to achievement-related cognition, affect, and behaviour. Unpublished manuscript, Harvard University.
• Butler, F. A., & Castellon-Wellington, M. (2000). Students' concurrent performance on tests of English language proficiency and academic achievement. In the validity of administrating large-scale content assessments to English language learners: An investigation from three perspectives: National center for research on evaluation, standards, and student testing. University of California, Los Angeles.
• Castella, K., & Byrne, D. (2015). My intelligence may be more malleable than yours: the revised implicit theories of intelligence (self-theory) scale is a better predictor of achievement, motivation, and student disengagement. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 30(3), 245-267.
• Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Dweck, C.S., & Leggett, E.L. (1988). A social cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95(2), 256-273.
• Dweck, C.S., Chiu, C., & Hong, Y. (1995). Implicit theories and their role injudgments and reactions: a world from two perspectives. Psychological Inquiry, 6, 267-285.
• Dweck, C.S. (2000). Self-Theories: Their role in motivation, personality and development. Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis. Psychology Press.
• Dweck, C.S. & Molden, D. (2007). Self theories: their impact on competence motivation and acquisition. In A. Eliot and C. Dweck (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation (pp. 122-140). London: The Guilford Press.
• Dweck, C. S. (2008). Mindsets and Math/Science achievement. New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York.
• Dweck, C., & Simmons, R. (2014). Why do women fail. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/29/opinion/dweck-simmons-girls-confidence- failure/>
• Dweck, C. S., Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2014). Academic tenacity: Mindset and skills that promote long-term learning. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Dweck, C. (2015). Carol Dweck Revisits the 'Growth Mindset'. Education Week. Retrieved from: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/23/carol-dweck-revisits-the-growth-mindset.html
• Elliott, E. S., & Dweck, C. S. (1988). Goals: An approach to motivation and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 5-12.
• Elliot, A.J. ve Dweck, C.S. (2005). Competence and motivation: Competence as the core of achievement motivation. In A. J. Elliot ve C. S. Dweck (Ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation (pp. 3-12). New York, USA: The Guilford Press.
• Gardner, R. C., Smythe, P. C., & Brunet, G. R. (1977). Intensive second language study: effects on attitudes, motivation and french achievement 1. Language learning, 27(2), 243-261.
• Güneş, S. (2011). The background factors that influence learners’ English proficiency (Unpublished master’s thesis). Bilkent University, Ankara.
• Kornilova, T. V., Kornilov, S. A., & Chumakova, M. A. (2009). Subjective evaluations of intelligence and academic self-concept predict academic achievement: Evidence from a selective student population. Learning and Individual Differences, 19(4), 596–608.
• Leggett, E. L. (1985). Children's entity and incremental theories of intelligence: Relationships to achievement behavior. In annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston.
• Licht, B. G., & Shapiro, S. H. (1982). Sex differences in attributions among high achievers. In meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
• Macnamara, B. N., & Rupani, N. S. (2017). The relationship between intelligence and mindset. Intelligence, 64, 52-59.
• Mangels, J.A., Butterfield, B., Lamb, J., Good, C., & Dweck, C.S. (2006). Why Do Beliefs About Intelligence Influence Learning Success? A Social Cognitive Neuroscience Model. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 1(2), 75- 86.
• Mercer, S., & Ryan, S. (2009). A mindset for EFL: Learners’ beliefs about the role of natural talent. ELT journal, 64(4), 436-444.
• Mercer, S. (2012). Dispelling the myth of the natural-born linguist. ELT Journal, 62 (1), 22–29.
• Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 33-52.
• Nussbaum, A. D., & Dweck, C. S. (2008). Defensiveness vs. remediation: Self- theories and modes of self-esteem maintenance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 599 – 612.
• Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P., & Daley, C. (1999). Factors Associated with Foreign Language Anxiety. Applied Psycholinguistics, 20, 217-239.
• Rezaei, A. A., & Almasian, M. (2007). Creativity, language learning strategies and language proficiency [Special issue]. Pazhuhesh-e Zabanha-ye Khareji, 32, 65-76.
• Roohani, A., & Rabiei, S. (2013). Exploring Language Learning Strategy Use: The Role of Multiple Intelligences, L2 Proficiency and Gender. Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 32(3), 41-64.
• Sert, N. (2006). English Language proficiency and academic attainment. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 22, 212-220.
• Spinath, B., Spinath, F. M., Riemann, R., & Angleitner, A. (2003). Implicit theories about personality and intelligence and their relationship to actual personality and intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 939–951. http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/S0191-8869(02)00310-0.
• Vatanartıran, S., Dalgıç, G., & Karadeniz, Ş. (2014). Factors related with students’ foreign language achievement. Pagem Journal of Education and Instruction, 4(3), 1-18.
• Yeager, D. S., Johnson, R., Spitzer, B. J., Trzesniewski, K. H., Powers, J., & Dweck, C. S. (2014). The far-reaching effects of believing people can change: Implicit theories of personality shape stress, health, and achievement during adolescence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(6),867.