Adaptively Recalling Autobiographical Memories Following Self-Esteem Threat: The Moderating Role of Growth Mindsets

We theorized that people reconstrue their past selves to serve self-enhancement goals. Participants (N=113) wrote about an autobiographical memory after a self-esteem threat manipulation. Threatened participants with a growth mindset were more likely to recall academic memories, whereas those with a fixed mindset were more likely to recall interpersonal memories.