Fix‐Me or Grow‐Me? Implicit Mindsets Shape Educational Product Preferences

ABSTRACT Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses, yet our resources are limited. Therefore, when allocating effort, we must strategically decide whether to focus on strengths or on weaknesses. Across five studies, we show that implicit mindsets shape preferences for educational products. Compared with fixed‐mindset individuals, who emphasize performance goals and thus show a stronger preference for strength‐developing products, growth‐mindset individuals place greater emphasis on mastery goals and therefore display a relatively stronger preference for weakness‐remedying products. When social comparison is introduced, this difference vanishes, as individuals with both mindsets shift toward greater prioritization of performance goals and consequently converge on a strong preference for strength‐focused products. This research not only enriches our understanding of implicit mindsets, educational decision‐making, and achievement goals but also carries substantial implications for marketers, educators, and policymakers.