Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.247 Mindset effects on information search in self-evaluation

Research on mindset theory (GollwitTer & Baye4 1999) observed that people in an implemental mindset show an orientation towards positive illusionary self-evaluations, whereas people in a deliberative mindset opt for accura.te self-evaluations. In the present study, we tested whether these self-evaluative orientations and the associated search for certain types of self-relevant information(feedback) are moderated by low versus high self-views. With high self-view participants we observed the hypothesized mindset effects on information search, but we obtained the reverse pattern for low self-view participants. The latter finding points to self-defensiveness in low self-view individuals. Implications are discussed in terms of the consequences of accurate versus positive illusionary self-evaluations for the successful control of goal pursuits, and individual dffirences in mindset effects. Copyright @ 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Self-evaluation is guided by different motives or purposes (Pomerantz, Saxon, & Kenney, 2001; Sedikides & Skowronski, 2000; Sedikides & Strube, 1997). First, a concern for self-assessment motivates people to reduce uncertainty about their abilities and personal attributes. This is achieved by performing high diagnostic tasks and searching for diagnostic information (Trope, 1936). Second, people's self-evaiuations also serve self-enhancement concerns. The self is protected from negativ