Investigation of the Predictive Role of Secondary School Students' Social Anxiety on Science Motivation

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between secondary school students' social anxiety and their science motivation, as well as the predictive power of social anxiety on science motivation. Data were collected from 454 students using a relational survey model and analyzed with Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. The findings revealed a high-level and negative correlation between students' social anxiety and their science motivation. This suggests that higher social anxiety is strongly associated with decreased motivation for science learning. Regression analyses showed that all subdimensions of social anxiety significantly and negatively predicted science motivation and its components. Additionally, social anxiety and science motivation differed according to several sociodemographic variables. Results indicated the critical influence of social-emotional factors on students' engagement in science learning and revealed that reducing social anxiety may play an important role in increasing science motivation.