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Competitive Psychological Climate and Foreign Language Anxiety in Junior High School Learners in China: Roles of Control-Value Appraisals, and Cognitive Reappraisal

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Title: Competitive Psychological Climate and Foreign Language Anxiety in Junior High School Learners in China: Roles of Control-Value Appraisals, and Cognitive Reappraisal
Language: English
Authors: Ting Zhao (ORCID 0000-0002-2899-361X), Xi Lian (ORCID 0000-0003-2314-670X)
Source: Language Teaching Research. 2026 30(7):3724-3749.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Second Language Learning, Anxiety, Junior High School Students, Competition, Emotional Response, English (Second Language), Correlation, Value Judgment, Student Attitudes
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1177/13621688241240676
ISSN: 1362-1688
1477-0954
Abstract: In recent years, competitive climate has increasingly prevailed in some Asian regions with large numbers of foreign language learners. It is thus important for teachers to understand the impact of this classroom environment on language learners' emotions and to develop ways to effectively reduce any potential negative impact associated with the competitive climate. The present study aims to contribute to this under-studied but necessary line of research by focusing on the exploration of possible mechanisms underlying the relationship between competitive climate and foreign language anxiety. Specifically, we assessed the roles of control and extrinsic value appraisals as mediators in the relationship between competitive climate and anxiety levels. We also investigated the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal (a typical form of adaptive emotion regulation) in the relationship between competitive climate and cognitive appraisals/anxiety, and that of intrinsic value appraisal in the relationship between extrinsic value appraisal and anxiety. Data were collected from 1,138 junior high school-level learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) from six public schools situated in different cities in China. Results show that competitive climate was directly and positively related to foreign language anxiety, and this relationship was complementarily mediated via extrinsic value appraisal, but competitively mediated via control appraisal. Moderation analysis showed that intrinsic value appraisal negatively moderated the relationship between extrinsic value appraisal and anxiety. Cognitive reappraisal was shown to be a buffer against the relationship between competitive climate and anxiety. Results reveal the complexity and dynamics of the relationship between competitive climate and foreign language anxiety, and the conditions under which their relationship is strengthened or weakened. Based on our findings, discussion and pedagogical implications are provided as are the study's limitations.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 20260101
Accession Number: EJ1513990
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
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  Data: Competitive Psychological Climate and Foreign Language Anxiety in Junior High School Learners in China: Roles of Control-Value Appraisals, and Cognitive Reappraisal
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ting+Zhao%22">Ting Zhao</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2899-361X">0000-0002-2899-361X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xi+Lian%22">Xi Lian</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2314-670X">0000-0003-2314-670X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Teaching+Research%22"><i>Language Teaching Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 30(7):3724-3749.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Label: Peer Reviewed
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  Data: Y
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  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 26
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Junior+High+School+Students%22">Junior High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Competition%22">Competition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Value+Judgment%22">Value Judgment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/13621688241240676
– Name: ISSN
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  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1362-1688<br />1477-0954
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: In recent years, competitive climate has increasingly prevailed in some Asian regions with large numbers of foreign language learners. It is thus important for teachers to understand the impact of this classroom environment on language learners' emotions and to develop ways to effectively reduce any potential negative impact associated with the competitive climate. The present study aims to contribute to this under-studied but necessary line of research by focusing on the exploration of possible mechanisms underlying the relationship between competitive climate and foreign language anxiety. Specifically, we assessed the roles of control and extrinsic value appraisals as mediators in the relationship between competitive climate and anxiety levels. We also investigated the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal (a typical form of adaptive emotion regulation) in the relationship between competitive climate and cognitive appraisals/anxiety, and that of intrinsic value appraisal in the relationship between extrinsic value appraisal and anxiety. Data were collected from 1,138 junior high school-level learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) from six public schools situated in different cities in China. Results show that competitive climate was directly and positively related to foreign language anxiety, and this relationship was complementarily mediated via extrinsic value appraisal, but competitively mediated via control appraisal. Moderation analysis showed that intrinsic value appraisal negatively moderated the relationship between extrinsic value appraisal and anxiety. Cognitive reappraisal was shown to be a buffer against the relationship between competitive climate and anxiety. Results reveal the complexity and dynamics of the relationship between competitive climate and foreign language anxiety, and the conditions under which their relationship is strengthened or weakened. Based on our findings, discussion and pedagogical implications are provided as are the study's limitations.
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  Data: EJ1513990
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        Value: 10.1177/13621688241240676
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety
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      – SubjectFull: Junior High School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Competition
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      – SubjectFull: Emotional Response
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      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
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      – SubjectFull: Correlation
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      – SubjectFull: Value Judgment
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
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      – TitleFull: Competitive Psychological Climate and Foreign Language Anxiety in Junior High School Learners in China: Roles of Control-Value Appraisals, and Cognitive Reappraisal
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