Modelling the nexus between tertiary learners’ socioeconomic background, social cognitive motivation and achievement-oriented behavior

Oct 15, 2026

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Research examines how social factors shape achievement motivational beliefs and, in turn, influence approach and avoidance motivation among tertiary learners. Quantitative questionnaire data from 109 learners in a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh were analyzed using IBM SPSS v24 and IBM SPSS Amos v24. Results show mothers’ education and school location significantly affect learners’ self-efficacy, which drives approach motivation. Fathers’ education predicts task value, with task value showing the largest effect on approach motivation. Approach and avoidance motivations are also significantly associated.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Motivation theories and frameworks

Expectancy-value and self-determination perspectives

Task value, self-efficacy, and achievement goals

Theoretical grounding

Socio-educational model and socio-cognitive motivation

Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics ISSN 2209-0959 [https://www.castledown.com/journals/ajal/](https://www.castledown.com/journals/ajal/) Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8 (5), 102727 (2025) [https://doi.org/10.29140/ajal.v8n5.102727](https://doi.org/10.29140/ajal.v8n5.102727) Modelling the nexus between tertiary learners’socioeconomic background, social cognitive motivation and achievement-oriented behavior MARZIA SHUROVIa MD. KAMRUL HASANa AMINE OUNISSIb a Department of English, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, United International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh bCentre for Foundation and Continuing Education, University Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia Abstract While several studies have examined the relationship between the achievement motivational beliefs of learners and their English achievement, studies investigating the relationship between social factors and achievement motivational beliefs are scarce. Hence, this research examines the influence of social factors and motivational beliefs on learners’ approach and avoidance motivation. Under a quantitative research design, the data were collected through a questionnaire from 109 tertiary learners from a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 24 and IBM SPSS Amos version 24. The results revealed that the mother’s educational level and school location significantly influenced learners’self-efficacy which largely impacted their approach motivation. Also, the father’s educational level influenced learners’ task value and task value had the largest effect size on learners’ approach motivation. In addition, approach and avoidance motivations were significantly related. Apart from adding new insights into achievement motivation literature, the implications of the findings are also discussed. Keywords: social factors, task value, self-efficacy, approach motivation, avoidance motivation, education Introduction Learning a foreign language is a complicated procedure that involves various environmental, psychological, and affective factors (Ellis, 1985) . Among the factors that influence learners’achievement in learning a foreign language, learner motivation, particularly learners’ Copyright © 2025 Marzia Shurovi, Md. Kamrul Hasan & Amine Ounissi achievement motivational beliefs, has gained traction in recent years (Shurovi et al., 2024) . Among the motivation theories, learners’ task value, self-efficacy, and achievement goalsoriented behaviour conceptualise motivation from a social cognitive perspective regarding the value of a task, learners’ self-confidence in accomplishing the task, and the approach versus avoidance behaviour to do the task. Literature shows that learners’ highly motivated behaviour significantly predicts their English as a Foreign Language (EFL) achievement (Hunsu et al., 2023; Nne et al., 2022) . Among the social cognitive theories of motivation, the expectancy-value theory asserts that a learner’s positive expectations of accomplishing a task, the extrinsic or intrinsic value of atask, the learner’s beliefs in his own competence, and the difficulty of the task influence the learner’s motivation to engage in a task (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002). The intrinsic versus extrinsic value is analogous to the concepts of intrinsic/extrinsic motivation of self-determination theory proposed by Deci and Ryan (2015) who also emphasised the role of contextual factors in increasing or thwarting learners’ motivation to engage in learning activities. According to the self-determination theory, the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs, namely autonomy, relatedness, and competence in the learning environment is crucial to enhancing learner motivation (Deci & Ryan, 2015) . In this regard, how learners’ task value is influenced by their social factors, namely school location and parents’ education, has rarely been explored in motivation literature. In addition, l

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

The study investigates how social factors and achievement motivational beliefs influence learners’ approach and avoidance motivation.

How were the research data collected and analyzed?

Questionnaire data were collected from 109 tertiary learners and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 24 and IBM SPSS Amos version 24.

Which variables were found to significantly influence learners’ approach motivation?

Mother’s educational level and school location significantly influenced learners’ self-efficacy, and task value (influenced by father’s educational level) had the largest effect size on approach motivation.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Kurz