Second language (L2) learners’ beliefs about the nature of language learning, specifically language mindsets, is a recent productive line of L2 research. Researchers argue that language mindsets are key factors for language learning success. However, the association between language mindsets and different language learning outcomes is inconsistent in the literature, and its overall effect remains unclear. The copious body of quantitative research instigates the need for a synthetic approach to capture an overall view of how language mindsets relate to several outcome variables (e.g., general language achievement, grammar, pragmatics, reading, speaking, and writing). Thus, the present study used multilevel meta-analysis to examine the overall effectiveness of the association between language mindsets and language learning outcomes and to examine to what extent this overall effectiveness might vary as a function of some moderators (i.e., age, proficiency level, and learning context). Through a systematic search and screening, we identified a total of 22 studies and 50 effect sizes (n = 17,622 participants) on the correlation between language mindsets and different learning outcomes. The weighted average correlation between fixed language mindset and the language learning outcomes was found to be significantly negative but weak in size (r = − 0.19). In contrast, the association between the growth language mindset and the learning outcomes was significantly positive but relatively moderate in size (r = 0.26). These associations did not significantly vary as a function of moderating variables. These findings suggest that a higher level of growth language mindsets and a lower level of fixed mindset are important for learners’ success in language learning. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

第二语言 (L2) 学习者对语言学习本质的信念，特别是语言思维方式，是 L2 研究的最新成果。研究人员认为，语言心态是语言学习成功的关键因素。然而，语言心态与不同语言学习成果之间的关联在文献中并不一致，其总体效果仍不清楚。大量的定量研究表明需要一种综合方法来全面了解语言思维方式与多个结果变量（例如，一般语言成绩、语法、语用、阅读、口语和写作）之间的关系。因此，本研究使用多层次荟萃分析来检验语言心态和语言学习成果之间关联的整体有效性，并检验这种整体有效性在多大程度上可能随着某些调节因素（即年龄、熟练程度、和学习环境）。通过系统的搜索和筛选，我们总共确定了 22 项研究和 50 个 关于语言心态与不同学习成果之间相关性的效应大小（ n = 17,622 名参与者）。固定语言思维模式与语言学习成果之间的加权平均相关性显着为负，但幅度较弱（r  = − 0.19）。相比之下，成长语言心态与学习成果之间的关联显着呈正相关，但关联程度相对适中（r  = 0.26）。这些关联并没有随着调节变量的变化而显着变化。这些发现表明，较高水平的成长语言思维模式和较低水平的固定思维模式对于学习者在语言学习中取得成功非常重要。讨论了进一步研究的教学意义和建议。