Mindset predicts consumer variety seeking through learning goal orientation: The role of susceptibility to interpersonal influence

We examined how people’s belief that human traits are either malleable or fixed—that is, mindset—can shape consumers’ variety seeking through learning goal orientation. We also tested the moderating effect of susceptibility to interpersonal influence in the mindset–variety seeking relationship. Participants were 364 adults in the US, who completed a survey on mindset, variety seeking, learning goals, and susceptibility to interpersonal influence. Results show that consumers with a growth (vs. fixed) mindset were more likely to engage in variety seeking as they were more motivated by learning goals. This relationship was more evident when they cared less (vs. more) about others’ approval. These findings offer new evidence for how mindset is related to consumption tendencies, provide insight into the conditions under which these relationships are stronger or weaker, and suggest that practitioners should pay more attention to mindset when they are developing marketing strategies.