Positive Emotions and Learner Engagement: Insights from an Early FL Classroom

Engaging L2 Learners in Information-gap Tasks: How Task Type and Topic Familiarity Affect Learner Engagement

RELC Journal ◽

10.1177/00336882211061628 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003368822110616

Author(s):

Jian Xu ◽

Xuyan Qiu

Keyword(s):

Language Learners ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Task Type ◽

Learner Engagement ◽

Topic Familiarity ◽

Foreign Language Learners ◽

Information Gap ◽

Mixed Feelings ◽

Task Types

This study examines four learner engagement dimensions (behavioural, cognitive, emotional and social) in pedagogical task performance and provides insights into the effects of two task types (information-seeking and direction-giving) and topic familiarity on learner engagement in a semester-long English course. A total of 28 foreign language learners engaged in eight interactive tasks, and all played the roles of both information-receiver and information-provider alternately under familiar and unfamiliar conditions. Seven measures of engagement and an open-ended questionnaire were employed to understand the learners’ engagement in the tasks and their emotional responses to them. The results revealed that the information-providers produced more words and also spent more time on information-seeking tasks wherein they would exchange information than on direction-giving ones that required them to ask for and provide instructions or directions. This was the case for topics they were unfamiliar with; however, when they were faced with familiar topics, they produced significantly more words, spent more time, and spoke more elaboratively in direction-giving tasks. The information-seeking tasks elicited positive emotions, but the direction-giving tasks yielded mixed feelings, attaching positive emotions to familiar tasks but negative ones to unfamiliar tasks. The pedagogical implications of these findings are discussed.

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The role of affect in feelings of obligation

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x19002449 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Author(s):

Stefen Beeler-Duden ◽

Meltem Yucel ◽

Amrisha Vaish

Keyword(s):

Positive Emotions ◽

The Creation ◽

Sense Of Obligation

Abstract Tomasello offers a compelling account of the emergence of humans’ sense of obligation. We suggest that more needs to be said about the role of affect in the creation of obligations. We also argue that positive emotions such as gratitude evolved to encourage individuals to fulfill cooperative obligations without the negative quality that Tomasello proposes is inherent in obligations.

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Effects of Provocation on Emotions and Aggression: An Experimental Study with Aggressive Children

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185.65.2.117 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 117-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Christina Stadler ◽

Sonja Rohrmann ◽

Sibylle Steuber ◽

Fritz Poustka

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Skin Conductance Level ◽

Physiological Measures ◽

Competitive Reaction ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Conduct Disordered ◽

Physiological Variables ◽

Aggressive Children ◽

Conductance Level

In this study, the effects of an experimental-induced provocation on emotions and aggression were examined in 34 aggressive conduct-disordered children using a competitive reaction time paradigm. Two experimental conditions were created, an increasing provocation and a low constant provocation condition. Self-rated anger was assessed directly after provocation on a 5-point-visual scale. In addition, negative and positive emotions as well as physiological measures (heart rate and skin conductance level) were measured at baseline and after provocation. Results revealed that participants’ aggressive behaviour and subjective emotions differed as a function of the opponent’s level of provocation. Concerning physiological parameters, no significant differences were found between the experimental conditions. These results suggest that affective, but not physiological variables characterize reactive aggression in conduct-disordered children.

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Does Ego-Resilience Impact Friendship Outcomes?

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000197 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 128-134 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Elizabeth B. Lozano ◽

Mahzad Hojjat ◽

Judith Sims-Knight

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Young Adults ◽

Indirect Effects ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Positive Outcomes ◽

Ego Resilience ◽

Maintenance Behaviors ◽

Received Social Support ◽

Trait Resilience ◽

The Relationship

Abstract. The present study examined the relationship between resilience and positive outcomes in friendships of young adults. SEM and bootstrapping analyses were performed to test whether positive emotions mediate the relationship between ego-resilience and enhanced friendship outcomes. Findings revealed indirect effects for friendship closeness, maintenance behaviors, and received social support. Our findings demonstrate the importance of positive emotions and its connection with trait resilience in the realm of friendships.

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Differences in the Way to Conceive Happiness Relate to Different Reactions to Negative Events

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000246 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 27-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Giulia Fuochi ◽

Chiara A. Veneziani ◽

Alberto Voci

Keyword(s):

Positive Emotions ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Protective Role ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Negative Events ◽

Orientations To Happiness ◽

Specific Reactions ◽

The Way

Abstract. This paper aimed to assess whether differences in the way to conceive happiness, measured by the Orientations to Happiness measure, were associated with specific reactions to negative events. We hypothesized that among orientations to pleasure (portraying hedonism), to meaning (representing a eudaimonic approach to life), and to engagement (derived from the experience of flow), orientation to meaning would have displayed a stronger protective role against recent negative and potentially stressful events. After providing a validation of the Italian version of the Orientations to Happiness measure (Study 1), we performed regression analyses of the three orientations on positive and negative emotions linked to a self-relevant negative event (Study 2), and moderation analyses assessing the interactive effects of orientations to happiness and stressful events on well-being indicators (Study 3). Our findings supported the hypotheses. In Study 2, meaning was associated with positive emotions characterized by a lower activation (contentment and interest) compared to the positive emotions associated with pleasure (amusement, eagerness, and happiness). In Study 3, only meaning buffered the effect of recent potentially stressful events on satisfaction with life and positive affect. Results suggest that orientation to meaning might help individuals to better react to negative events.

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Don’t Put Me in This Group

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000363 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 80-93

Author(s):

Jort de Vreeze ◽

Christina Matschke

Keyword(s):

Positive Emotions ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Negative Information ◽

The Self ◽

The Other ◽

Other Hand ◽

Group Memberships

Abstract. Not all group memberships are self-chosen. The current research examines whether assignments to non-preferred groups influence our relationship with the group and our preference for information about the ingroup. It was expected and found that, when people are assigned to non-preferred groups, they perceive the group as different to the self, experience negative emotions about the assignment and in turn disidentify with the group. On the other hand, when people are assigned to preferred groups, they perceive the group as similar to the self, experience positive emotions about the assignment and in turn identify with the group. Finally, disidentification increases a preference for negative information about the ingroup.

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