“Striving to Stand Out”: How Competitive Classroom Climates Shape Chinese EFL Learners’ Feedback‐Seeking Behavior through Expectancy‐Value Appraisals

ABSTRACT This study investigates how competitive classroom climate in Chinese educational settings shapes EFL learners’ feedback‐seeking behavior (FSB) through expectancy‐value appraisals. Grounded in situated expectancy‐value theory (SEVT), the research employs a mixed‐methods approach, combining structural equation modeling (SEM) with qualitative interviews involving 617 junior high students. Results reveal that competitive environments positively predict feedback monitoring (FM) via extrinsic motivation (EM), self‐efficacy, and foreign language anxiety (FLA), while directly suppressing feedback inquiry (FI) due to social‐evaluative risks. Intrinsic motivation (IM) and self‐efficacy emerged as critical mediators, fostering proactive FSB, whereas anxiety‐driven strategies prioritized covert monitoring over direct inquiries. Pedagogically, reframing competition through competency‐oriented feedback and collaborative tasks mitigated adverse effects, channeling extrinsic pressures into skill mastery. The study bridges sociocultural dynamics with psychological constructs, offering insights into optimizing FSB in high‐competition EFL contexts.