Pride and anxiety in online learning environments: Achievement emotions as mediators between learners' characteristics and learning outcomes

Abstract The current study validated the proposed structure of relationships among outcome‐related achievement emotions (pride and anxiety), their cognitive predictors (appraisals und online‐learning‐related self‐efficacy), and learning outcomes (competence gain and satisfaction) in the context of online learning in higher education. On the basis of a sample of 220 university students, we applied structural equation modeling. We found that high self‐efficacy was related to greater perceived control, which was positively associated with interest in online learning. Self‐efficacy showed positive relations with pride and negative relations with anxiety. Interest was positively associated with pride, competence gain, and satisfaction. Both outcomes also showed direct positive relations with pride, whereas anxiety was negatively associated with satisfaction only. Furthermore, three substantial indirect effects of self‐efficacy on the two outcomes were revealed. The findings supported the role of anxiety and pride as mediators between cognitions and learning outcomes although also direct relationships between interest and learning outcomes were observed.