A Study on the Influence of Critical Thinking Ability on Academic Achievement of Chinese College Students—-Academic Emotion as a Mediator

Abstract

This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the impact of critical thinking skills on academic achievement among Chinese university students through a large-sample survey, using academic emotions as a mediating variable and achievement motivation as a moderating variable. The aim is to explore the correlations among the three variables: critical thinking skills, academic emotions, and academic achievement, as well as the mediating effect of academic emotions between critical thinking skills and academic achievement. The research involved 1,778 participants from regular undergraduate and college institutions across all provinces and autonomous regions in China (excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau). Initially, a preliminary analysis was conducted on the participants’ critical thinking skills, academic emotions, academic achievement, and achievement motivation. Descriptive statistical analysis, reliability and validity testing, variance analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, mediating variable validation analysis, path analysis, and structural equation modeling were performed using SPSS 28.0 and AMOS 28.0 software on the sample data obtained from the questionnaire. Based on the computational results, the study discusses existing issues in the development of critical thinking skills among Chinese university students concerning their academic achievement, the mediating effect of academic emotions, and the moderating effect of achievement motivation. Building on the analysis results, effective strategies to enhance university students’ critical thinking skills and improve academic achievement are proposed by clarifying the structural relationships among the traits of critical thinking, academic emotions, and academic achievement. The findings indicate: (1) The comprehensive performance of Chinese university students in critical thinking skills, academic emotions, achievement motivation, and academic achievement is above average. (2) In terms of difference analysis: there are significant gender differences in the overall average scores of critical thinking traits and achievement motivation; however, no significant gender differences are found in the overall average scores of academic achievement and academic emotions. Two dimensions of critical thinking traits—open-mindedness and confidence in critical thinking—show significant differences based on professional categories; significant differences are observed in the overall average scores of critical thinking traits, academic achievement, and academic emotions among different professional categories, while no significant differences are found in the overall average scores of achievement motivation across professional categories. Regarding grade differences, no significant differences are observed among university students’ critical thinking traits, academic achievement, learning emotions, and achievement motivation across different grade levels. However, significant differences exist in the dimensions of systematic ability, learning ability, and motivation to avoid failure. (3) There are correlations among the three variables of critical thinking skills, academic achievement, and academic emotions, with a moderate positive correlation between critical thinking skills and academic emotions, and a weak positive correlation between academic achievement and academic emotions. (4) Critical thinking skills significantly positively influence academic achievement; critical thinking skills significantly positively influence academic emotions; positive academic emotions significantly positively influence academic achievement, while negative academic emotions also significantly positively influence academic achievement (H3b). Academic emotions play a mediating role between critical thinking skills and academic achievement, exhibiting a certain masking effect. Universities should explore and implement targeted strategies to enhance students’ critical thinking skills, improve academic achievement, and reduce negative academic emotions. Improving students’ critical thinking skills and critical thinking requires a multi-dimensional integration of strategies. Collaborative efforts across all aspects, from curriculum design and teaching methods to teacher training, can provide a conducive environment for students’ cognitive development. This not only aids students’ success in academic fields but also lays the foundation for their ability to think independently and make rational decisions in their future careers. 131-167 A Study on the Influence of Critical Thinking Ability on Academic Achievement of Chinese College Students—-Academic Emotion as a Mediator 下载 Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Share this: Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook