Mapping differentiated cognitive landscapes of university students in China via fuzzy comprehensive evaluation

Introduction This study investigates the complex underlying factors contributing to academic failure among students at elite Chinese universities. Grounded in cognitive-behavioral theory, we developed a three-dimensional framework encompassing 26 influencing factors across cognitive, emotional, and behavioral domains. Methods Utilizing the Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation methods ( N = 722 ), we identified distinct cognitive maps for three academic performance groups: high-achieving, academic fluctuating, and academic struggling. Results Findings reveal that academic failure is characterized by a “cognitive detachment” rather than mere knowledge deficiency or emotional indifference. Specifically, (1) high-achievers demonstrate a “productive tension,” where negative psychological attributes like self-doubt and learning anxiety function as significant positive drivers within the Confucian-heritage cultural context; (2) Fluctuating students exhibit high environmental sensitivity, where academic stability is contingent upon perceived support from family and peer networks; (3) Struggling students acknowledge their academic deficiencies but appear cognitively detached from the emotional impact of failure, aligning with a “lying flat” mentality fostered by current institutional evaluation models. Discussion Theoretically, this research moves beyond linear “cause-effect” narratives to uncover how specific cognitive-emotional configurations shape academic trajectories. Practically, it highlights a need for differentiated university interventions that move beyond standardized counseling toward rebuilding “agency-performance” links, while inviting a reflective reconsideration of the core purpose of university examination systems.