The Distinct Roles of Personal and Perceived School Intelligence Mindsets in Learning Motivation and Achievement

From the perspective of self-determination theory (SDT), this study investigated (1) how a perceived school intelligence mindset (PSIM) functions as an antecedent of a personal intelligence mindset (PIM) and (2) how these two belief systems differentially predict students' learning-related outcomes. A total of 607 Chinese middle school students (58% female; M_age = 13.72 years, SD = 1.58) participated in the study. A PSIM and PIM were measured by reference to adapted versions of the Growth Mindset Inventory. Two aspects of learning-related outcomes, i.e., learning motivation and academic achievement, were assessed with the Academic Motivation Scale and district-level standardized examinations, respectively. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with bias-corrected bootstrapping was conducted to test the hypothesized mediation model. The results revealed two key findings. First, a PSIM significantly predicted a PIM. Second, a PSIM had different predictive effects on learning motivation and academic achievement through different paths via a PIM. Specifically, a PSIM did not have a significant direct effect on learning motivation, but its effect on learning motivation was significantly and fully mediated by a PIM. Conversely, a PSIM had a significant direct effect on academic achievement, and this effect was not significantly mediated by a PIM. These findings highlight that school-level mindset environments and personal belief systems operate through distinct pathways, suggesting that interventions targeting both institutional climate and individual beliefs may be necessary to effectively enhance students' motivation and academic performance.