Examining Effects of Self-Efficacy on Research Motivation Among Chinese University Teachers: Moderation of Leader Support and Mediation of Goal Orientations

Abstract

Utilizing the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as the theoretical framework, this study proposed a moderated mediation model investigating the complex functioning mechanisms of how self-efficacy beliefs and leader support can be related to research motivation among Chinese university teachers. A group of 310 Chinese teachers working in different universities completed an online survey. Results from structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed distinct influencing paths from the predictor variables (i.e., self-efficacy and leader support) to the outcome variables (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation). Specifically, self-efficacy beliefs predicted both mastery and performance goal orientations; mastery goal orientation, in turn, positively affected intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation. In contrast, leader support was non-significant for the both types of goal orientations, but exerted strong direct influences on the both types of research motivation. Bootstrapping methods in SEM showed that it was primarily the mastery goal orientation that mediated the relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and research motivation. Furthermore, the results from the SEM and simple slope analysis revealed that leader support moderated the association between self-efficacy and extrinsic research motivation.

Keywords:

• Chinese university teacher
• self-efficacy
• leader support
• goal orientation
• research motivation
• moderated mediation

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Jilin Provincial Department of Education “13rd Five-Year” Social Science Research Project (No. 537 [2015]) and Jilin Social Science Fund Project (2018B126).

Notes on contributors

Jian Zhang

Jian Zhang (PhD awarded by Northeast Normal University, China) is currently an associate professor at Northeast Normal University. His research areas include teacher education and education management.

Chun Cao

Chun Cao (PhD awarded by Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium), is currently an associate professor at the Faculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, China. His research interests mainly include motivation research, teacher development, intergroup contact, cross-cultural psychology, and intergroup relations.

Shanshan Shen

Shanshan Shen (PhD awarded by Northeast Normal University, China) is a lecturer at Northeast Normal University. Her research mainly focuses on education management.

Meng Qian

Meng Qian (PhD awarded by Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium) is a lecturer at Changchun University of Science and Technology, China. Her research interests mainly include global competence, intercultural communication, intergroup relations, and social inclusion.