Language Mindsets and Strategic Approaches to Studying: The Mediating Roles of Control‐Value Appraisals and Emotions

Abstract

Language mindsets influence learners' behavior, motivation, and strategic approaches to studying a language. These mindsets impact how learners perceive control and value in achievement activities, which, in turn, affect their achievement emotions and ultimately their learning strategies and academic performance. This study investigates the effects of growth and fixed language mindsets on strategic approaches to studying English, with perceived academic control, task value, and positive/negative achievement emotions serving as mediators. Questionnaire surveys were administered to 517 university students in Taiwan. The structural models revealed that students with growth language mindsets exhibited stronger academic control and task value, experienced more positive emotions, and employed more study strategies. These factors partially mediated the relationship between growth language mindsets and study strategies. In contrast, fixed language mindsets did not predict task value or study strategies, but they negatively predicted academic control. No mediating effects were found between fixed language mindsets and study strategies.