ABSTRACT
Language mindsets are individual beliefs about whether the ability to learn a language is changeable or not. Psychological research has shown that learners’ mindsets are linked to a wide range of psychological processes (e.g., attributions, effort beliefs, goal orientations, beliefs about mistakes/failures, self-regulatory tendencies, and emotions). This chapter discusses existing evidence on mindsets in SLA, including the conceptualization and measurement of language mindsets, associations with other individual difference constructs, and the effect of mindset interventions. Although research on language mindsets has produced promising findings to help us understand learners’ resilience and the development of intercultural competence, more research is needed to develop effective mindset interventions in language learning. To continue to strengthen the research on the individual differences in language mindsets, future research should continue to connect mindsets with a broader range of motivational factors and linguistic outcomes and to understand the individual characteristics that underlie language mindsets or interact with language mindsets in predicting learning outcomes.
