Positioning Implicit Theories of Well-Being Within a Positivity Framework

two studies with 230 and 363 canadian undergraduate students tested the relationship between incremental theories of well-being (i.e., beliefs regarding the malleability of well-being) and a positive mental outlook. in study 1, incremental theories of well-being were associated with prioritizing positivity (purposely incorporating pleasant activities into one’s daily routine) and showed a positive relationship with several other indicators of positive mental functioning (e.g., intrinsic motivation, eudaimonic motivation). in study 2, incremental theories of well-being were associated with positivity (viewing life and experiences with a positive outlook) and were positively correlated with additional indicators of positive mental functioning (e.g., harmony in life, self-compassion). in both studies, the relationship between incremental theories of well-being and both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being held true across different measures. a synthesis of major results using a bayesian meta-analytic procedure suggested a moderate association between an incremental well-being mindset and well-being. results of these studies help to situate incremental views toward well-being within a broad positivity framework, and to expand the nomological web of correlates of implicit theories of well-being.