Mastery-oriented and feedback-sensitive emotion profiles among written-translation MTI students in southeastern China: a Q methodology study

IntroductionAchievement emotions have received growing attention in second language research, yet little is known about how multiple emotions are subjectively organized in professionally oriented translation learning. This study investigated enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom among written-translation students in Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) programs in southeastern China, examining how these emotions were subjectively organized into shared emotion profiles and how the profiles could be interpreted through control-value theory.MethodsThirty students from two universities completed a Q-sort of 36 statements describing emotional experiences in translation learning, followed by post-sort comments. The Q-sorts were analyzed using principal component analysis and varimax rotation.ResultsA two-factor solution was retained, accounting for 47% of the total variance. Factor 1 was interpreted as a mastery-oriented profile, characterized by achievement enjoyment associated with meeting standards, developing personal expression, applying translation learning to practice, and sustaining engagement in demanding tasks. Factor 2 was interpreted as a feedback-sensitive profile, in which enjoyment was closely connected with task relevance, teacher feedback, classroom atmosphere, and instructional support, while anxiety became more salient under difficult or evaluative conditions. Within the retained two-factor solution, boredom appeared less profile-defining than enjoyment and anxiety, functioning more as a situational or conditional emotion.DiscussionThe findings extend research on second language achievement emotions to the context of written-translation MTI training by revealing distinct ways in which multiple emotions are subjectively organized in a professionally oriented learning context. They also demonstrate the interpretive value of control-value theory for understanding these shared emotion profiles and highlight the need for profile-sensitive translation teaching that supports both perceived control and task value.