Conscientiousness influences motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning among Chinese undergraduates: Bai lan and Confucian perspectives

Bai lan culture, literally meaning “let it rot,” is a Chinese cultural expression that reflects a passive, resigned attitude toward societal pressure and failure. This contrasts with Confucian values like diligence and perseverance, potentially affecting students’ motivation and learning behaviors. We used self-reported questionnaires to investigate the relationships of conscientiousness, motivational beliefs, and self-regulated learning (SRL) among 311 Chinese undergraduates learning English as a foreign language. Results showed that conscientiousness positively predicted both motivational beliefs and use of SRL strategies, with the strongest effects observed for goal planning, and rehearsal and memorization. These findings suggest that conscientiousness helps sustain motivation and effective SRL behaviors amid cultural shifts. This study highlights the impact of personality traits on learning English as a foreign language, and offers insights for promoting student engagement in changing sociocultural contexts.