Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing

Cognitive approaches to language learning have been the primary focus of second language research since the 1970s. However, there has been a noticeable shift in recent years due to the emergence of the “affective turn” within this field, leading to a growing scholarly interest in language learners&#...

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Main Authors: Jian Wang, Qiang Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825004305
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author Jian Wang
Qiang Zhang
author_facet Jian Wang
Qiang Zhang
author_sort Jian Wang
collection DOAJ
description Cognitive approaches to language learning have been the primary focus of second language research since the 1970s. However, there has been a noticeable shift in recent years due to the emergence of the “affective turn” within this field, leading to a growing scholarly interest in language learners' affective factors. Inspired by this switch of research focus from cognition to affect, this current study quantitatively unraveled the associations between English learners' control-value appraisals, emotions (enjoyment and boredom), and feelings of empowerment in English writing. Data were gleaned from 249 college students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in China through self-reported questionnaires. Preliminary analyses included descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations to examine basic data characteristics and initial relationships among variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the hypothesized connections among the constructs. Results suggest that the participants' control and extrinsic value appraisals of English writing were moderate, yet their intrinsic value appraisal, enjoyment, and empowerment were high, with their boredom being minimal. Additionally, their control-value appraisals were significantly associated with achievement emotions and empowerment in English writing. Furthermore, the study revealed that learners' achievement emotions were closely connected to learning empowerment and acted as partial mediators between control-value appraisals and empowerment in English writing. The research outcomes offer valuable implications for English writing instruction.
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spelling doaj-art-ca54413a898b4df08b84553532e710c82025-08-20T02:06:19ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-07-0125710511710.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105117Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writingJian Wang0Qiang Zhang1School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Geely University of China, No. 123, Chengjian Avenue, Eastern New Area, Sichuan Province, Chengdu 641423, ChinaFaculty of Foreign Languages, Anyang University, No. 599 Zhonghua Road, Anyang City, Henan Province 455000, China; Corresponding author.Cognitive approaches to language learning have been the primary focus of second language research since the 1970s. However, there has been a noticeable shift in recent years due to the emergence of the “affective turn” within this field, leading to a growing scholarly interest in language learners' affective factors. Inspired by this switch of research focus from cognition to affect, this current study quantitatively unraveled the associations between English learners' control-value appraisals, emotions (enjoyment and boredom), and feelings of empowerment in English writing. Data were gleaned from 249 college students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in China through self-reported questionnaires. Preliminary analyses included descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations to examine basic data characteristics and initial relationships among variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the hypothesized connections among the constructs. Results suggest that the participants' control and extrinsic value appraisals of English writing were moderate, yet their intrinsic value appraisal, enjoyment, and empowerment were high, with their boredom being minimal. Additionally, their control-value appraisals were significantly associated with achievement emotions and empowerment in English writing. Furthermore, the study revealed that learners' achievement emotions were closely connected to learning empowerment and acted as partial mediators between control-value appraisals and empowerment in English writing. The research outcomes offer valuable implications for English writing instruction.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825004305Control-value appraisalsEnjoymentBoredomLearning empowermentEnglish writing
spellingShingle Jian Wang
Qiang Zhang
Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing
Acta Psychologica
Control-value appraisals
Enjoyment
Boredom
Learning empowerment
English writing
title Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing
title_full Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing
title_fullStr Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing
title_full_unstemmed Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing
title_short Interplay of control-value appraisals, achievement emotions, and learning empowerment in college EFL writing
title_sort interplay of control value appraisals achievement emotions and learning empowerment in college efl writing
topic Control-value appraisals
Enjoyment
Boredom
Learning empowerment
English writing
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825004305
work_keys_str_mv AT jianwang interplayofcontrolvalueappraisalsachievementemotionsandlearningempowermentincollegeeflwriting
AT qiangzhang interplayofcontrolvalueappraisalsachievementemotionsandlearningempowermentincollegeeflwriting