ABSTRACT
Past studies on negative emotions in the school setting have mostly focused on anxiety. However, another key negative emotion is boredom but less research has examined how it is associated with learning and achievement. Anchored on the control-value theory of achievement emotions, this study tested whether boredom would weaken the relationship between value appraisals (task value, intrinsic goal, extrinsic goal) and achievement in math. A total of 1345 university students answered questionnaires assessing their levels of boredom and value appraisals. Their final grades were also obtained. Results confirmed the hypothesis regarding the moderating effects of boredom. More specifically, boredom weakened the relationship between value appraisals and achievement. Findings are discussed in terms of how boredom plays an important role in students’ motivation and learning.
