A Study on the Cognitive Mechanism of Adult English Learning Motivation and Pedagogical Intervention Strategies from the Perspective of Conceptual Metaphor

Abstract

This study explores the cognitive mechanism of adult English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ learning motivation from the perspective of Conceptual Metaphor Theory and examines the effectiveness of corresponding pedagogical intervention strategies. A mixed-method approach was adopted. Qualitative analysis was used to identify how conceptual metaphors mediate learners’ motivation cognition, while quantitative analysis was conducted with 72 adult EFL learners from two intact classes, including an experimental class and a control class. The results show that adult EFL learners’ motivation is cognitively structured through metaphorical schemas such as “learning as a journey,” “learning as task completion,” and “learning as challenge overcoming.” These schemas influence learners’ task interpretation, effort allocation, and persistence. Based on this mechanism, metaphor-based pedagogical strategies were implemented through metaphor-oriented framing, staged learning tasks, and reflective activities. After the intervention, the experimental class scored significantly higher than the control class in both learning motivation cognition and learning motivation performance (p < 0.05). The findings indicate that conceptual metaphor–based instruction can effectively enhance adult EFL learners’ motivation cognition and promote its transformation into observable learning behaviors.