Critical thinking dispositions and foreign language learning: A moderated mediation analysis of self-efficacy and gender

Previous studies have established an association between critical thinking (CT) dispositions and foreign language (FL) achievement. However, the indirect mechanisms underlying this relationship remain underexplored. Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study investigated the mediating role of self-efficacy in the link between CT dispositions and FL achievement, and further examined how gender moderates this indirect pathway using a moderated mediation approach. A cohort of 16,006 secondary school students from Beijing, China (grades 7 to 12), with an average age of 14.84 years (SD = 1.42), participated in the study. Data on CT dispositions, self-efficacy, FL achievement, and gender were collected through student self-reports. The mediation analysis indicated that self-efficacy partially mediated the association between CT dispositions and FL achievement. The moderated mediation analysis further demonstrated that the mediation effect was significantly stronger among male students. These findings provide significant insights into FL teaching and learning and contribute to a deeper understanding of social cognitive theory within the context of FL education.