Exploring the Interplay of Self-efficacy, Motivation, Critical Thinking, and Perceived Value in EFL Learning: A Social Cognitive Perspective.

Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study investigated the associations among self-efficacy, personal motivation, critical thinking, perceived value of English, and English learning performance (ELP) among 322 Chinese EFL learners. The structural equation modeling results showed that students with higher levels of self-efficacy and personal motivation tended to report stronger critical thinking, which was, in turn, positively associated with their ELP. Perceived value of English further intensified the link between critical thinking and ELP. These findings lend support to the view that critical thinking may serve as a cognitive route through which motivational beliefs are related to language learning outcomes, while also underscoring the role of perceived value in conditioning the strength of this relationship in EFL learning contexts.