A Scoping Review of Metamotivation in English as a Second or Foreign Language

This study aimed to explore the scope and nature of metamotivation research in English as a foreign language (EFL)/ English as a second language (ESL) contexts, clarify how the construct has been conceptualized, identify methodological patterns, and highlight gaps and future directions. Included studies were peer-reviewed journal articles or review articles in English that treated metamotivation, metamotivational beliefs, or metamotivational knowledge as a central construct in EFL, ESL, second language acquisition (SLA), or closely related English language education contexts. Studies outside language education or focused primarily on adjacent constructs without explicit metamotivational framing were excluded. A systematic search of the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted in March 2026. From 82 records initially identified, 7 studies published between 2024 and 2026 met the inclusion criteria. Data were charted using a form covering bibliographic details, context, participants, design, instruments, theoretical framing, metamotivational constructs, key findings, limitations, and future directions. Recurring findings showed that teachers and learners often overvalued extrinsic rewards, learners demonstrated a promotion-oriented bias, and qualitative evidence suggested adaptive but experience-based regulation strategies.