Believing in Change: Reviewing the Role of Implicit Theories in Psychological Dysfunction

The understanding and amelioration of psychological dysfunction stands to be improved through application of the social psychological implicit theories framework, which emphasizes the role of entity (fixed) and incremental (growth) beliefs regarding personal characteristics and the correlates and co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of social and clinical psychology 2017-06, Vol.36 (6), p.437-460
Main Author: Howell, Andrew J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Implicit theories
Mental disorders
Personal characteristics
Psychological distress
Psychopathology
Social psychology
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Summary:The understanding and amelioration of psychological dysfunction stands to be improved through application of the social psychological implicit theories framework, which emphasizes the role of entity (fixed) and incremental (growth) beliefs regarding personal characteristics and the correlates and consequences of those beliefs. This paper reviews cross-sectional, longitudinal, experimental, and meta-analytic studies regarding the role of entity and incremental beliefs in distress and dysfunction. Studies are organized into three categories: the role in psychological dysfunction of implicit theories of general personal and social attributes; the role of implicit theories of emotion; and the role of implicit theories of psychopathology. Several research and practice implications of the implicit theories framework are forwarded, such as cultivating incremental beliefs regarding disorder as an intervention tactic.
ISSN:0736-7236
1943-2771
DOI:10.1521/jscp.2017.36.6.437