學業情緒代價模式考驗暨檢驗自我效能的調節效果

Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy: An Academic Emotion Cost Model

本研究的目的在分析學業情緒代價模式。本研究為縱貫研究，抽取國民中學七年級及八年級學生為研究對象，總共施測3次，採用結構方程模式分析所蒐集三波觀察資料。本研究發現：本研究之學業情緒代價模式獲得觀察資料的支持，學生知覺同儕精熟目標可以提高其後的代價—努力，可以降低其後的代價—犧牲；學生知覺同儕表現目標可以提高其後的代價—努力及代價—犧牲；國中生的代價—努力評估可正向預測其後的希望情緒；國中生的代價—犧牲評估可負向預測其後的希望情緒。再者，研究結果支持自我效能與代價—努力與希望情緒之關係上的調節效果：當學生的自我效能越高，代價—努力對希望情緒的正向關係越低。最後，根據結果本研究提出建議，以供實務現場及教育心理研究之參考。

Numerous studies in educational psychology have analyzed the behaviors that comprise or contribute to the basic human capacity for learning. Academic emotions have been widely studied as keys to the learning process (Pekrun & Stephens, 2010). Academic emotions are the emotions experienced by learners that emerge due to their appraisals of control and value during the learning process (Pekrun, 2000, 2006; Pekrun et al., 2002).
Most studies on academic emotions have primarily measured and categorized these emotions (e.g., Liu & Shen, 2015; Pekrun et al., 2011). Additionally, several scholars have explored the antecedents and consequent variables associated with academic emotions (e.g., Harley et al., 2019; Huang, 2016; Pekrun & Stephens, 2010; St Omer et al., 2023).
Pekrun (2006) proposed the control–value theory of achievement emotions, which posits that student appraisals of the value of learning tasks and processes arouse emotions that influence the motivation to learn. The academic emotions discussed in this paper—referred to as either“academic emotions”or“achievement emotions”—encompass emotions directly related to the learning process. This study analyzed both distal and proximal variables related to such emotions.
In the current context, proximal variables are cognitive evaluations of control and value that are the immediate determinants of academic emotions. By contrast, distal variables are environmental factors, such as students’perceptions of classroom goals and students’perceptions of teacher autonomy support, that influence students’perceptions of control and value and contribute to the emergence of academic emotions. Academic emotions create a feedback loop that influences control and value appraisals and environmental variables, which in turn influence the formation of academic emotions.
In contemporary educational psychology, considerable emphasis is placed on the dynamics of motivation in the learning process. Furthermore, motivation and emotions are closely intertwined, collectively comprising the affective aspects of learning.
The expectancy–value model of motivation proposed by Eccles et al. (1983) comprises five components: The external environment, cognitive processes, motivational processes, expectations, values, achievement, and performance. This model illustrates how the external environment and cognitive and motivational processes influence student learning engagement and performance through expectations of success and task values. Additionally, Eccles et al. argued that learner appraisals of abilities and task values substantially affect learning engagement and performance. These expectations and value beliefs are influenced by environmental factors that affect internal cognitive–motivational processes and generate expectations and value beliefs, which affect learning engagement and performance in a perpetual feedback loop.
The environmental factors within this model encompass socializing agents such as teachers, peers, and parents. Socializing agents influence learners through their expectations and behaviors, leading learners to internalize these expectations and behaviors and directly affecting learning engagement and achievement.
In summary, the expectancy–value model of motivation proposed by Eccles et al. (1983) and Pekrun’s (2006) control–value theory of academic emotions are similar frameworks for examining learning processes. Both theories underscore the influence of external environmental factors and learners’cognitive appraisals of learning tasks as crucial elements affecting the learning process. Driven by these influences, motivation and emotional experiences toward learning emerge that directly affect learning engagement and performance.
With respect to analysis of the proximal factors that influence learning engagement and performance, the expectancy–value model emphasizes the effect of expectations and beliefs on learning engagement and achievement but does not consider the effects of academic emotions. However, more research (Ainley & Ainley, 2011; Downer et al., 2007; Yun et al., 2020) indicates that rational cognitive appraisals are not the only influencers of learning engagement and achievement, a finding consistent with the tenets of the control–value theory.
The control–value theory of academic emotions does not encompass appraisal of costs in cognitive evaluations, which are often inherent in student decisions to perform learning tasks (Flake et al., 2015). Additionally, empirical research has indicated that costs negatively predict positive emotions (Chen, 2015). Therefore, a balanced understanding of appraisals must include an assessment of costs. Costs, control, and value appraisals are all precursors of and concomitant factors affecting academic emotions.
Empirical research has explored the predictive effect of self-efficacy on academic emotions but has not investigated the potential moderating role of self-efficacy, or an individual’s belief in their capability to accomplish a task; consequently, the evaluation of whether a task involves costs influences an individual’s belief in their ability to complete the task (Nie et al., 2011). However, studies have not determined whether self-efficacy exerts moderating effects on academic emotions or hope emotions that influence task and cost appraisals.
Empirical research has demonstrated that self-efficacy can moderate task value appraisals and anxiety emotions. Theoretically, cost appraisals fall under task value appraisals, and anxiety emotions are a subset of academic emotions. Therefore, this study proposed that self-efficacy functions as a moderating variable and explored the moderating effects of“cost–effort→academic emotions–hope”and“cost–sacrifice→academic emotions–hope.”
Data from a longitudinal study involving seventh- and eighth-grade junior high school students (n = 313; 152 boys) from four schools in Tainan City, Taiwan, were examined. Data collection was conducted in three waves. Participants were asked to complete an academic emotions subscale (the hope subscale), a peer mastery goal subscale, a peer performance goal subscale, and a cost scale. All measures were related to the students’experiences in English classes. All 313 participants participated at the 3 measurement points.
The present study used LISREL 8.80 and SPSS for Windows 23.0 to perform structural equation modeling. To assess model fit, we used well-established indices, such as a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) < .10, a standardized root mean residual (SRMR) < .08, the Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) > .90, and a comparative fit index (CFI) > .90 in addition to the chi-square test.
The results of the analysis indicated that the Academic Emotion Cost Model had a perfect fit with the data. The students perceived that achieving the T1 peer mastery goal enhanced T2 cost–effort and reduced T2 cost–sacrifice. Additionally, students perceived that achieving the T1 peer performance goal enhanced T2 cost–effort and T2 cost–sacrifice. These results demonstrate that the students’cost–effort appraisal is positively associated with hope emotions, whereas their cost–sacrifice appraisal is negatively associated with hope emotions. Furthermore, self-efficacy moderates the relationship between cost–effort and hope emotions. On the basis of these results, recommendations are proposed as a reference for further research and instruction.