Emotions and teaching styles among academics: The mediating role of teacher self-efficacy

Abstract

This research investigated the mediating role of teacher self-efficacy in the relationship between emotions in teaching and teaching styles. Participants were 232 academics from 13 higher educational institutions in Shanghai, mainland China. Results showed that academics’ emotions in teaching as assessed by the Emotions in Teaching Inventory (Trigwell, 2009) statistically predicted teaching styles as measured by the Thinking Styles in Teaching Inventory (Grigorenko & Sternberg, 1993) both directly and indirectly – through academics’ self-efficacy as evaluated by the Teacher Self-efficacy Inventory (Li & Zhang, 2016). Findings have enriched the literature concerning the three aforementioned constructs and built a meaningful link between the field of higher education and that of psychology; they have practical implications for academics and for university senior managers.