Heyder, AnkeWeidinger, Anne F.Steinmayr, Ricarda2021-03-112021-03-112020-11-10http://hdl.handle.net/2003/4007310.17877/DE290R-21950Gendered occupational and educational choices have often been traced back to gender differences in students’ domain-specific ability self-concept and intrinsic motivation. This study explored the role of believing in an “innate” math or language arts ability (i.e., having a fixed mindset) for gender differences in students’ ability self-concept and intrinsic motivation in 423 female (49%) and 447 male (51%) tenth graders from Germany (age M = 16.09 years, SD = 0.68, range: 14–18 years). In line with math-male stereotypes, believing in “innate” math ability was associated with lower ability self-concept and intrinsic motivation in female but not male students. In language arts, students’ mindsets were unrelated to their motivation. The results suggest that a fixed mindset presents an additional burden for female students in math, but not for male or female students in language arts.enJ Youth Adolescence;50(1)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/MindsetsGender differencesAbility self-conceptIntrinsic motivationMath150article (journal)GeschlechtsunterschiedSelbstbildIntrinsische Motivation