Unveiling the precursors of negative emotions in second language writing through control-value theory: An explanatory sequential design approach

Abstract

With the emergence of the psychological focus on second language acquisition, research on second language (L2) writing has gradually transitioned to a comprehensive exploration of the writing process. However, few studies have explored the potential trigger mechanism of negative emotions in L2 writing, especially in learning Chinese as a second language (CSL). To fill this gap, the explanatory sequential design was employed to investigate the relationships among CSL learners’ writing self-efficacy, perceived writing task value, writing anger, and writing boredom based on the control-value theory. The quantitative results illustrate that 1) writing self-efficacy positively predicts perceived writing task value, writing anger, and writing boredom; 2) perceived writing task value negatively predicts writing anger and writing boredom; and 3) perceived writing task value mediates the relationship between writing self-efficacy and writing anger/boredom. The qualitative results add insight to the L2 writing process, revealing that 1) writing self-efficacy exhibited dialectical tension during the writing process; 2) perceived writing task value illustrated contextual immediacy in L2 writing; and 3) writing anger/boredom demonstrated dynamism throughout the procedure of completing the L2 writing task. These results extend the application scope and deepen the theoretical understanding of control-value theory, offering significant pedagogical implications for L2 education.