Valuable but threatening: The reduced effect of incremental theory on challenge-confronting tendencies for students who fear being laughed at

Research has widely demonstrated that an incremental theory of intelligence is beneficial for students in achievement settings. The present study examined whether this theory can help students with high gelotophobia (i.e., the fear of being laughed at) confront challenges and clarified possible underlying processes. Theories of intelligence (entity vs. incremental) were primed in either the low or high threat condition for participants with low or high gelotophobia. For those with high gelotophobia, priming an incremental theory, relative to priming an entity theory, cannot help them exhibit stronger tendencies to face a challenging task in both low and high threat conditions. However, for those with low gelotophobia, priming an incremental theory caused stronger challenge-confronting tendencies in both threat conditions, but this positive effect reduced in the high threat condition. Results suggest that endorsing an incremental theory is not so beneficial for students who perceive confronting challenges as valuable but threatening.

► We test if incremental theory can help high gelotophobia students face challenges.
► Incremental theory helps low gelotophobia students confront an unfamiliar task.
► Incremental theory cannot help high gelotophobia students confront the challenge.
► This theory may be unhelpful for students feeling threatened by challenges.