On the correlation among the students’ epistemic cognition, academic emotions, and academic achievement in higher education

Abstract

Students' academic achievement relies on a variety of pedagogical, affective, and individual factors. The investigation of academic emotions and epistemic cognition has been a focal point in existing research. Previous studies have predominantly delved into the essence of students' epistemic cognition and academic emotions. Nonetheless, the correlation between the epistemic cognition, academic emotions, and academic success of Chinese undergraduate students remains inadequately explored. This research delves into the interconnectedness of these variables and examines which facets of epistemic cognition and academic emotions can forecast students' academic performance. A total of three hundred and eighty (380) Chinese undergraduate students were chosen via random sampling for this study. Their self-reported academic achievements were taken into account. Additionally, they completed questionnaires tailored to evaluate their epistemic cognition and academic emotions. The participants' scores underwent Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings indicate that positive emotions correlate positively, while negative emotions correlate negatively with students' academic success. Furthermore, positive emotions and three categories of epistemic cognition were found to be predictors of students' academic accomplishments. In conclusion, it is deduced that both epistemic cognition and positive emotions play a role in enhancing students' academic success. The implications of these findings extend to educational psychologists, educators, and students, both theoretically and practically.