The Relation Between Religiosity and Growth Mindset and the Moderating Factor of Locus of Control

We know that growth and failure-enhancing mindsets and their benefits have been well defined in prior research. However, correlates and mechanisms to developing these mindsets have been understudied. A possible predictor of growth and failure enhancing mindsets is religiosity. We surveyed 353 students at Arizona State University on religiosity, growth mindset, and failure-enhancing mindset to see if religiosity holds any significant relation to growth and failure enhancing mindsets. We also included locus of control as a possible interaction in the model. Results suggest that there is a difference between religious and non-religious participants in their levels of growth mindset beliefs, with religious participants reporting higher growth mindset beliefs. Additionally, religiosity for Christ-based participants positively predicted growth mindset, but not failure-enhancing mindset. Future research should continue to probe the interaction between religiosity and locus of control, as well as compare different faiths and religious subgroups.