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A Growth Mindset Intervention: Enhancing Students’ Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Career Development

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  • Jeni L. Burnette
  • Jeffrey M. Pollack
  • Rachel B. Forsyth
  • Crystal L. Hoyt
  • Alexandra D. Babij
  • Fanice N. Thomas
  • Anthony E. Coy

Abstract

Despite mounting interest in growth mindset interventions, this approach has yet to be applied to the domain of entrepreneurship. In the present research, we developed and tested if a growth mindset intervention could be leveraged to promote students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy and if this, in turn, predicted career development (i.e., academic interest, career interest, task persistence, and academic performance). We report on our findings, from an Open Science Framework (OSF) preregistered study, that is a randomized controlled trial implementing a growth mindset intervention. We randomly assigned undergraduate students ( N = 238) in an introduction to entrepreneurship class to either the growth mindset intervention or to a knowledge-based attention-matched control. Students in the growth mindset intervention, relative to the control, reported greater entrepreneurial self-efficacy and task persistence on their main class project. The intervention also indirectly improved academic and career interest via entrepreneurial self-efficacy. However, the intervention failed to directly or indirectly impact performance on a classroom assignment. Additionally, and somewhat surprisingly, gender and past experience in the field failed to moderate any effects of the intervention on outcomes. Theoretical implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeni L. Burnette & Jeffrey M. Pollack & Rachel B. Forsyth & Crystal L. Hoyt & Alexandra D. Babij & Fanice N. Thomas & Anthony E. Coy, 2020. "A Growth Mindset Intervention: Enhancing Students’ Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Career Development," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(5), pages 878-908, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:44:y:2020:i:5:p:878-908
    DOI: 10.1177/1042258719864293
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Haiyan Li & Salih Zeki Ozdemir & Peter A. Heslin, 2023. "Merely Folklore? The Role of a Growth Mindset in the Taking and Timing of Entrepreneurial Actions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2077-2120, November.
    2. Vicente González-Prida & Jesús César Sandoval-Trigos & Fabricio Miguel Moreno-Menéndez & Kesler Osmar Gomez-Bernaola & Diego Alonso Tello-Porras & Diana Pariona-Amaya, 2024. "Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets: Factors Shaping Student Intentions in a Challenging Economic Landscape," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, October.
    3. Burnell, Devin & Neubert, Emily & Fisher, Greg & Marvel, Matthew R. & Stevenson, Regan & Kuratko, Donald F., 2024. "Entrepreneurial hustle: Scale development and validation," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 39(4).
    4. Yan, Jiaju & Boss, Alan D. & Reger, Rhonda K., 2023. "The unrelenting entrepreneur: Taking stock of research on entrepreneurial persistence and related constructs," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    5. Muhammet Saygın & Serkan Say & İsmail Yavuz Öztürk & Bahadır Gülden & Kadir Kaplan, 2024. "A Step towards Sustainable Education: Does an Entrepreneurial Teacher Nurture Creativity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.
    6. Michaelis, Timothy L. & Pollack, Jeffrey M. & Hu, Xinyu (Judy) & Carr, Jon C. & McKelvie, Alexander, 2021. "Metacognition and entrepreneurial action: The mediating role of a strategic mindset on promoting effort and innovative behavior in frugal entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
    7. Feng Liu & Jun Liu & He Ding, 2023. "Employee Strengths Mindset and Voice Behavior: The Roles of General Self-Efficacy and Leader–Member Exchange," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-14, July.

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