Shyness mindset: Applying mindset theory to the domain of inhibited social behavior

This study applies mindset theory to the domain of inhibited social behavior. Incoming college freshmen (N = 93) completed web-based assessments upon beginning college and 7 months later. Time 1 shyness mindset predicted changes in performance anxiety from Time 1 to Time 2; those who viewed inhibited social behavior as fixed showed increases in performance anxiety and those that viewed shyness as malleable showed decreases. The effect was partially mediated through college belongingness. Shyness mindset did not moderate changes in interaction anxiety. More research is warranted to determine if shyness mindset is a useful target for intervention during the transition to a new social environment.