A Multilevel Meta-analysis of Language Mindsets and Language Learning Outcomes in Second Language Acquisition Research

Second language (L2) learners’ beliefs about the nature of language learning, specifically language mindsets, is a recent productive line of L2 research. Researchers argue that language mindsets are key factors for language learning success. However, the association between language mindsets and different language learning outcomes is inconsistent in the literature, and its overall effect remains unclear. The copious body of quantitative research instigates the need for a synthetic approach to capture an overall view of how language mindsets relate to several outcome variables (e.g., general language achievement, grammar, pragmatics, reading, speaking, and writing). Thus, the present study used multilevel meta-analysis to examine the overall effectiveness of the association between language mindsets and language learning outcomes and to examine to what extent this overall effectiveness might vary as a function of some moderators (i.e., age, proficiency level, and learning context). Through a systematic search and screening, we identified a total of 22 studies and 50 effect sizes (n = 17,622 participants) on the correlation between language mindsets and different learning outcomes. The weighted average correlation between fixed language mindset and the language learning outcomes was found to be significantly negative but weak in size (r = − 0.19). In contrast, the association between the growth language mindset and the learning outcomes was significantly positive but relatively moderate in size (r = 0.26). These associations did not significantly vary as a function of moderating variables. These findings suggest that a higher level of growth language mindsets and a lower level of fixed mindset are important for learners’ success in language learning. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.