Results of ANCOVA.

This study aims to investigate how teachers’ positive feedback influences learners’ positive psychology in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction and to examine how positive psychology enhances learning outcomes through the neural efficiency hypothesis. The study employed three neuroscientific and behavioral experiments to address these questions. Study 1, with 78 college-level EFL learners, examined the effect of teachers’ positive feedback on learners’ positive psychology and found a significant positive impact. Study 2, conducted with 102 EFL learners, tested the neural efficiency hypothesis and revealed that higher positive psychology improved neural efficiency, with positive feedback moderating this effect. Study 3, involving 54 EFL learners, explored the relationship between neural efficiency and learning outcomes, confirming that enhanced neural efficiency leads to better learning performance. Beyond education, the results underscore the broader relevance of positive psychology and neural efficiency in other domains, such as workplace performance, skill acquisition, and personal development, where maintaining cognitive efficiency and well-being is crucial. These findings highlight the importance of positive feedback in fostering positive psychology, improving neural efficiency, and enhancing learning outcomes. The study offers theoretical contributions and practical recommendations for EFL educators to leverage positive feedback and promote effective learning.

本研究旨在探究英语作为外语（English as a Foreign Language, EFL）教学中，教师积极反馈对学习者积极心理学的影响，并基于神经效率假说（neural efficiency hypothesis）检验积极心理学如何提升学习结果。本研究采用三项神经科学与行为学实验以解答上述研究问题。
实验1招募78名大学阶段英语作为外语学习者，考察教师积极反馈对学习者积极心理学的影响，结果发现二者存在显著正向影响。
实验2招募102名英语作为外语学习者，对神经效率假说进行验证，结果表明更高水平的积极心理学能够提升神经效率，且教师积极反馈对该效应具有调节作用。
实验3招募54名英语作为外语学习者，探究神经效率与学习结果之间的关联，证实提升后的神经效率可带来更优异的学习表现。
除教育领域外，本研究结果还凸显了积极心理学与神经效率在其他领域的广泛应用价值，例如职场绩效、技能习得与个人发展等场景——此类场景中维持认知效率与幸福感至关重要。
本研究结果凸显了积极反馈在培育积极心理学、提升神经效率以及优化学习结果方面的重要意义。本研究为英语作为外语教育者运用积极反馈、推动高效学习提供了理论贡献与实践建议。