Support for Resettling Refugees: The Role of Fixed Versus Growth Mind-Sets

Madan, S, Basu, S, Rattan, A and Savani, K (2019) Support for Resettling Refugees: The Role of Fixed Versus Growth Mind-Sets. Psychological Science, 30 (2). pp. 238-249. ISSN 0956-7976

Abstract

Six studies (N=2,340) identify one source of people’s differential support for resettling refugees in their country—their beliefs about whether the kind of person someone is fixed (i.e., a fixed mindset) or can be changed (i.e., a growth mindset). US and UK citizens who believed that the kind of person someone is can be changed were more likely to support resettling refugees in their country (Studies 1-2). Study 3 identified a causal relationship between fixed-growth mindsets and people’s support for resettling refugees. Importantly, people with a growth mindset were more likely to believe that refugees can assimilate in the host society, but not that they should assimilate; and the belief that refugees can assimilate mediated the relationship between people’s mindsets and their support for resettling refugees (Studies 4-6). The findings identify an important antecedent of people’s support for resettling refugees, and provide novel insights into the science of mindsets.