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Beyond growth mindset: Exploring John Henryism and academic task engagement in higher education

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Abstract

This study examined how students from historically marginalized identity groups (i.e., Black and Latinx, females, and first-generation college students) engage momentarily in a school-based task. We explored how John Henryism, defined as effortful, active coping as a response to environmental stress, and growth and fixed mindset mediate the relationship between identity groups and momentary engagement outcomes (i.e., positive/negative emotions and cognitive engagement). Findings from two structural equation models—one including John Henryism as a mediating latent construct and one without—demonstrated that only John Henryism mediated the relationship between historically underrepresented groups and positive momentary engagement (i.e., increased cognitive engagement and positive emotions, while lowering negative emotions) while growth mindset did not. These findings suggest that John Henryism and growth mindset may work together to buffer environmental stressors that affect historically underrepresented students’ academic success.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the reviewers for their thoughtful review of this manucript. We are grateful for their comments. They undoubtedly made the quality of this paper better.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education and Human Development, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA

    Benjamin M. Torsney, Kathryn M. Burke & Marina Milidou

  2. Temple University College of Education, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave, 19122, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Benjamin M. Torsney

  3. College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

    Doug Lombardi

  4. University College London, London, England

    Jennifer E. Symonds

  5. Temple University Institute on Disabilities, Philadelphia, USA

    Cheryl B. Torsney

  6. Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, USA

    Sherman A. James

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Torsney, B.M., Burke, K.M., Milidou, M. et al. Beyond growth mindset: Exploring John Henryism and academic task engagement in higher education. Soc Psychol Educ (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-023-09813-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-023-09813-y

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