The Anxiety–Enjoyment–Burnout Triangle in Online Foreign Language Learning: A Review from the Perspective of Control Value Theory

Abstract

This review employs Pekrun’s Control-Value Theory (CVT) to examine enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom in online foreign language learning. CVT distinguishes activity-related emotions (e.g., enjoyment, boredom) from outcome-related emotions (e.g., anxiety). Previous research has rarely explored whether these two types of emotions influence academic engagement and performance through different pathways. By examining the distinct relationships between enjoyment (activity-related), anxiety (outcome-related), and boredom (activity-related) and online foreign language learning effectiveness, this review aims to clarify differences in their underlying mechanisms.Regarding the research gap on the sense of value: English-language literature focuses on the sense of control, while the operational definition of the sense of value is insufficient; Chinese-language literature generally covers both, aligning more closely with CVT’s dual-antecedent framework. Both Chinese and English studies agree that positive emotions predict academic outcomes positively, while negative emotions predict them negatively. However, three key discrepancies remain. First, instructional organization and culture may moderate the relationship between emotions and academic outcomes. Second, when multiple emotions are incorporated into the same model, they may exert competing effects on one another. Third, anxiety may either promote or hinder academic engagement. To address these gaps, this review proposes a “sense of value—emotion—outcome” tripartite framework and emphasizes individual differences in the sense of value.