The Dynamics of Demotivation and Remotivation Among Chinese Students in Learning English
Insights from a Q Methodology Study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 16911409 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yanhong Ma (0000-0002-5312-3325), MA Yan-hong (0000-0001-7071-949X, Xuchang University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SAGE Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/21582440251324987 |
| OpenAlex | W4409647397 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 38 |
Research on language motivation has tended to focus on the phenomena of demotivation and remotivation in the English classroom. This study utilized Q methodology to analyze the dynamics of demotivation and remotivation among 15 Chinese university students during their English learning process from primary school to senior middle school. Informed by the complex dynamic systems theory (CDST), the study aims to examine factors that demotivate and remotivate Chinese learners of English, as well as depict the characteristics of demotivation and remotivation in motivation development. The results showed that individuals who tended to develop their ideal L2 selves were better able to cope with demotivating situations and more likely to regain motivation. Conversely, those with an ought-to L2 self were more likely to become demotivated over time and developed a fixed mindset, although they could occasionally be motivated again by certain factors. The study findings suggest that a comprehensive and dynamic self-system can be utilized to investigate demotivation and remotivation in English learning. In the end, the pedagogical implications of teaching and learning English are discussed
Linguistics · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Sociology · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Psychology · Q Methodology Applications
Motivation and second language acquisition
Teaching and Researching Motivation
Teaching and Researching
Doing Q Methodological Research
The L2 Motivational Self System
Promotion and Prevention
Complexity Theory
Motivation and Motivating in the Foreign Language Classroom
Language Learning Motivation as a Complex Dynamic System
Tracking the Evolution of Chinese Learners’ Multilingual Motivation Through a Longitudinal Q Methodology
“I can see myself …”A Q methodology study on self vision of Korean language learners
Dynamic Self-Regulation and Multiple-Goal Pursuit
Language learners’ emotional dynamics
An analysis of demotivators in the EFL classroom
The dynamics of demotivation and remotivation among Korean high school EFL students
Demotivation
Motivational profiles of learners of multiple foreign languages
Exploring students’ demotivation and remotivation in learning English
From replication to substantiation
From Demotivation to Remotivation
| Citations per year | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |