Emotional Creativity as Predictor of Intrinsic Motivation and Academic Engagement in University Students: The Mediating Role of Positive Emotions

Abstract

Objective: Emotional creativity (EC) implies experiencing a complex emotional life, which is becoming increasingly necessary in societies that demand innovation and constant changes. This research studies the relation of EC as a dispositional trait with intrinsic motivation (IM) and academic engagement (AE).Methods: A sample of 428 university Chilean students, 36.5% men and 63.5% women, with ages from 18 to 45 years-old (M = 20.37; DT = 2.71). Additionally, the mediating function of class-related positive emotions in this relation is explored.Results: The obtained data indicate that developing high levels of dispositional EC enhances the activation of positive emotions, such as gratitude, love and hope, in the classroom. Furthermore, EC predicts IM and AE of university students by the experience of positive emotions.Conclusion: These results compel us to be aware of the importance that university students can understand the complexity of the emotional processes they undergo. A greater control of these emotions would allow students to maintain higher levels of interest in their studies at the different educational stages and to avoid the risk of school failure.

Can Emotional Competence Be Taught in Higher Education? A Randomized Experimental Study of an Emotional Intelligence Training Program Using a Multimethodological Approach

“…EI is key to overcoming the challenges that university students will face when they leave the classroom, during their careers, and in their personal and professional futures. Other research is in line with these results we have obtained in higher education (Oriol et al, 2016; Torrecilla-Sánchez et al, 2018). In fact, EI is key to overcoming the challenges that university students will face in these periods (Pavlin and Svetlik, 2012; Mok et al, 2016).…”

“…In the same line, in investigations such as Oriol et al (2016), it is concluded that university students can understand the complexity of the emotional processes they undergo. A greater control of these emotions would allow students to maintain higher levels of interest in their studies at the different educational stages and to avoid the risk of school failure.…”

“…In addition, various investigations have worked in the same line on the successful implementation of IE training programs since childhood (Denham et al, 2012; Fernández-Sánchez et al, 2015), adolescence (López-González and Oriol, 2016), and adulthood within the university education, both undergraduate (Oriol et al, 2016) and master's-level (Torrecilla-Sánchez et al, 2018). …”

Students’ Emotional Engagement, Motivation and Behaviour Over the Life of an Online Course: Reflections on Two Market Research Case Studies

“…There is little sense in considering the act of learning as a rite of passage. Not only do a number of studies suggest the importance of emotion as a whole on learning (Maguire et al 2017;Oriol et al 2016), but others delve deeper and show that the type of emotion experienced by learners is important: autonomous motivation generates better learning than controlled motivation, whereby feelings of pride and guilt drive the desire to meet internalised social expectations (Cai & Liem 2017). In this model, failure can have real consequences, in which a hypercompetitive environment causes stress and mental illness (Posselt & Lipson 2016).…”

Indicators of Motivation and Satisfaction on Students’ Activities

“…Education is a key factor in explaining economic growth [3]. Students' performance is correlated with the national development of human capital accumulation, and any factor affecting the quality of human production will directly affect future economic growth.…”