The effect of physical exercise on college students' chemistry learning engagement: the chain mediating role of self-efficacy and autonomous motivation

Abstract Objective: To explore the relationship between physical exercise and college students' chemistry learning engagement , as well as the mediating role of self-efficacy and autonomous motivation between the two. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and selected 625 college students (55.2% male and 44.8% female) from some universities in Liaoning Province, China through a simple random sampling method. The questionnaire includes the Physical Activity Scale, Self Efficacy Scale, Self autonomous Scale, and Chemistry Learning Engagement Scale. SPSS 29.0, PROCESS 3.4 plugin, and Bootstrap method were used to analyze the data and test the chain mediating effect of self-efficacy and autonomous motivation. Result: (1) Physical exercise is positively correlated with college students' chemistry learning engagement, and has a significant direct predictive effect on chemistry learning engagement. (2) Physical exercise can positively predict self-efficacy, self-efficacy can positively predict autonomous motivation and chemistry learning engagement, and autonomous motivation can positively predict chemistry learning engagement. (3) Self efficacy and Autonomous motivation play an important mediating role in the relationship between physical exercise and chemistry learning engagement. Conclusion: (1) Physical exercise has a significant positive predictive effect on college students' chemistry learning engagement; (2) Self efficacy and autonomous motivation play a mediating and chain mediating role in the relationship between physical exercise and college students' chemistry learning engagement.