Mindsets of health and healthy eating intentions

Abstract

Across two studies, we examined the relation between mindsets of health, expectancy‐value, and eating intentions. We also explored if relations are stronger for African Americans compared to White Americans. In Study 1, we conducted a correlational study (N = 158) to examine initial relations among constructs. In Study 2, we employed an experimental design (N = 205), and randomly assigned participants to either a growth mindset or a fixed mindset of health condition. In both studies, we measured participants’ mindsets of health, expectancy‐value beliefs, healthy eating intentions, past eating habits, and demographics. In Study 1, stronger growth mindsets of health predicted healthier eating intentions. Expectancy‐value beliefs, namely, the extent to which individuals value healthy eating habits and expect to be able to manage their eating, mediated this relation. In Study 2, we successfully manipulated mindsets of health and individuals in the growth mindset condition reported healthier eating intentions, compared to those in the fixed mindset condition. Expectancy‐value beliefs again mediated this link. Race only moderated the relation in Study 1, such that effects of growth mindsets on outcomes (i.e., eating intentions and expectancy‐value beliefs) are stronger for African Americans compared to White Americans. Study 1 provided initial evidence of a relationship between stronger growth mindsets of health and healthier beliefs and intentions. Study 2 offered experimental evidence. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.

Growth Mindset Messaging in Stigma-Relevant Contexts: Harnessing Benefits Without Costs

“…Researchers extended the concept to include, for example, other attribute-related mindsets (e.g., entrepreneurship ability; Burnette, Pollack, et al, 2019), or experience-based mindsets (e.g., stress as enhancing or debilitating; Crum et al, 2013). Of most relevance here are mindsets in health domains, often involving potentially stigmatizing conditions (e.g., health, anxiety, addiction, obesity; Burnette, Forsyth, et al, 2019; Hoyt et al, 2014; Schroder et al, 2017; Thomas et al, 2019).…”

Public Health Messages and Weight-Related Beliefs: Implications for Well-Being and Stigma

“…Additionally, growth mindsets regarding athletic ability predicted motivation and enjoyment of physical education classes (Biddle et al, 2003). And, growth mindsets of health predicted healthier eating intentions (Thomas et al, 2019).…”

Harnessing growth mindsets to help individuals flourish

“…These opposing ways of viewing human potential are relevant to multiple disciplines and social issues. Although initial research focused on beliefs about the extent to which personal abilities, such as intelligence, are changeable or innate (Dweck, 2016), the scope of mindset research broadened to include traits such as morality (Chiu et al, 1997) and health (Conner et al, 2019;Crum & Zuckerman, 2017;John-Henderson et al, 2020;Thomas et al, 2019), experiences such as stress (Crum et al, 2013) and negative emotions (Babij et al, 2020), as well as personality (Plaks et al, 2009) and intergroup relations (Rattan & Georgeac, 2017)-to name a few extensions (also see Zedelius et al, 2017 for a review).…”