2026· International journal of research and innovation in social science· Vol 10, pp. 11093-11113· 0 citations
Abstract
This study explores the influence of Social Cognitive Theory on academic writing and ChatGPT usage among university learners. Specifically, it examines the relationships among environmental, personal, and behavioural factors in academic writing. A quantitative survey was conducted involving 256 respondents from various academic disciplines. The instrument measured environmental factors through ChatGPT usage, critical thinking, academic achievement, and student engagement; personal factors through metacognitive and cognitive writing strategies; and behavioural factors through effort regulation, social, and affective strategies. The findings revealed a significant difference in writing components across gender but no significant difference across disciplines. Learners perceived ChatGPT positively, particularly for translation, idea generation, research support, and engagement. Correlation analysis further showed significant positive relationships among environmental, personal, and behavioural factors. The findings support Social Cognitive Theory by demonstrating that academic writing in AI-supported environments is shaped by the reciprocal interaction between learners’ writing strategies, behaviours, and environmental support.
Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines learners’ academic writing strategies drawing on Bandura's (1986) model, and focuses on how environmental, personal and behavioural factors are interdependent in influencing learners' writing. The study employed a quantitative survey design involving 109 undergraduate and postgraduate students in a Malaysian public university. The data were gathered using a structured questionnaire adapted from Raoofi et al. (2017), consisting of 27 items grouped under three main strategy domains: metacognitive, cognitive/effort regulation and social-affective strategies. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis through SPSS. The findings show that learners reported using metacognitive strategies, particularly for revising and monitoring their writing, while social strategies were used at a moderate level. This correlation analysis shows significant relationships among all three factors, with the strongest between personal and behavioural factors. Overall, the findings reveal the interconnected roles of cognition, action, and the learning environment in academic writing. The study provides pedagogical insights on shaping self-regulated writers and offers directions for further research on developing writing strategies.
Noor Hanim binti Rahmat, Nur Huslinda Che Mat., Norazrin Zamri et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
The findings revealed that the students relied on metacognitive and cognitive writing strategies and reflected their high resilience and effort regulation despite showing a lower consistency in regular writing practice, which offers a foundation for more focused instructional interventions in higher education.
Nurul Syafieqah Jaafar, N. Rosly, Najwa Zulkifli et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Academic writing is a complex process demanding cognitive control as well as motivation, persistence and emotional control. While some research has focused on the strategies used for writing alone, fewer studies have considered the combination of cognitive, affective, and self-regulatory factors as a whole to support writing development. This study presents and tests a model exploring the relationships between cognitive strategies, effort regulation, affective strategies and metacognitive writing strategies of university students in Malaysia. A quantitative research design was adopted, which included 202 undergraduate and postgraduate students of academic writing in a public university. The Writing Strategy Scale was adapted from Raoofi et al. (2017) and used to gather data, which was then analysed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) by SmartPLS 4. Significant positive relationships were found between effort regulation and affective strategies, effort regulation and metacognitive strategies, cognitive strategies and affective strategies, and cognitive strategies and metacognitive strategies. Affective strategies were also shown to mediate in the proposed model to a significant degree. The model accounted for 50.2% of the variance in the affective strategies and 53.4% of the variance in the metacognitive writing strategies. The results of this study indicate that the problem-solving strategies are not sufficient for successful academic writing. Emotions regulation and sustained efforts help the students plan, monitor and evaluate their writing well. The study provides practical examples for language teaching and learning and adds to the ongoing debates on SLL in higher education.
Nur Huslinda Che Mat., Noor Hanim binti Rahmat, Nur Maizura Lin et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
The expansion of online learning has made virtual group work integral to higher education, yet communication gaps, uneven participation, cognitive uncertainty, and limited instructional support continue to affect collaborative effectiveness. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, this study examined how environmental, personal, and behavioral factors interact to shape students’ online group experiences. Environmental factors were represented by teaching presence, personal factors by cognitive presence, and behavioral factors by social presence. A quantitative survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 286 university students from various faculties and levels. Data were collected using a 23-item, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire comprising eight items on teaching presence, seven on cognitive presence, and eight on social presence. The instrument demonstrated internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .850. Descriptive findings showed that students perceived teaching presence positively, particularly when instructors provided clear examples, suitable materials, structured templates, and explanations. Although some students experienced confusion at the beginning of online discussions, cognitive engagement improved as they exchanged information, connected ideas, and applied new understanding. Social presence supported collaboration by enabling students to express opinions, share ideas, and participate confidently. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant moderate positive relationships between environmental and personal factors (r = .408, p < .001), personal and behavioral factors (r = .394, p < .001), and behavioral and environmental factors (r = .438, p < .001). These findings support Social Cognitive Theory’s reciprocal determinism and highlight the importance of structured guidance, scaffolded activities, peer feedback, and psychologically supportive environments in strengthening online collaborative learning.
Zahari Bin Abu Bakar, Siti Nurul'ain Zaiton, Ahmad Khudzairi Khalid et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Findings carry pertinent pedagogical implications, suggesting that higher education practitioners should systematically integrate AI scaffolding into writing instruction to enhance self-regulated learning and writing behaviors.
Amirah Athirah Amir Yazid, N. Hasni, M. S. Y. Shak et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
The rapid growth of social media platforms has significantly influenced students’ learning habits, communication styles, and cognitive engagement. While social media offers new opportunities for information access and collaborative learning, its excessive use may negatively affect attention span, concentration, and academic performance. Understanding its dual impact is important for improving educational practices in digital learning environments. This study aims to examine the positive and negative effects of social media on students’ learning processes and cognitive engagement. A mixed-methods research design was employed to analyze students’ social media usage patterns, attention spans, and academic behaviors. Quantitative data were collected through surveys, while qualitative insights were obtained from interviews with students in educational institutions. The data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic analysis to identify major patterns and relationships between social media use and learning outcomes. The findings reveal that social media enhances students’ access to educational resources, supports collaborative learning, and encourages interactive communication among peers. However, the study also found that frequent and unstructured use of social media contributes to distraction, fragmented attention, reduced concentration, and weaker deep-learning abilities. Students reported difficulties maintaining focus during academic activities because of constant notifications and multitasking behaviors. The study concludes that social media has a dual role in education, functioning as both a learning facilitator and a cognitive disruptor. Effective pedagogical integration and balanced usage strategies are necessary to maximize educational benefits while minimizing negative impacts on students’ attention and academic engagement.
