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Exploring male English major’s motivation trajectory through complex dynamic systems theory

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Abstract

Taking complex dynamic systems theory as a theoretical stance, this paper explores how motivational dynamics co-evolve with academic affordances for male English majors in higher educational institutions. The study adopts a sequential mixed-methods design with both questionnaires and interviews being used for data collection. The participant sample included twelve male English major students from a university in a Chinese coastal city. By mapping four participants’ lived experiences in their programs, the study further depicts changes, stability, and variability in students’ motivation trajectories. The findings of the study suggest that male students’ motivation is complex, dynamic, and non-linear. Various initial conditions closely interact with affordances and move towards attractor states dominated by career planning and glocal (global and local) policies. This includes social affordances (glocal policies, curricula, and program lecturers or mentors, who may sustain the motivation trajectory of students) and individual affordances (individual language proficiency, academic performance, and agency which may inform changes during the motivation trajectory). Joining the existing literature, this study advocates moving studies on motivation towards a complex, non-linear theoretical stance. The study also offers insights for language lecturers and universities more generally to make English major programs more inclusive and ensure equality of opportunity for male students to enter and participate in English programs.

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Funding

This study was primarily funded through Foreign Language Teaching and Research Committee, China Association of Higher Education (Grant No. 21WYJYZD04), 2021. It was primarily sponsored by the Xi’an Jiaotong University Talents Plan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Foreign Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Yang Gao & Xiaochen Wang

  2. University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan

    Pinwei Fan

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  1. Yang Gao
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  2. Xiaochen Wang
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Correspondence to Xiaochen Wang.

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Gao, Y., Wang, X. & Fan, P. Exploring male English major’s motivation trajectory through complex dynamic systems theory. Curr Psychol 43, 9089–9100 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05062-6

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