The effect of computer self-efficacy on the behavioral intention to use translation technologies among college students: Mediating role of learning motivation and cognitive engagement

Amid an era of rapid globalization and technological advancement, translation technologies stand as valuable assets for college students to enhance accuracy and efficiency in the translation process. However, the adoption and acceptance of these technologies are contingent on several psychological factors, which are underexplored in the academic field. This study, populated by a cohort of 397 college students, employs a multiple-item questionnaire measuring computer self-efficacy, learning motivation, cognitive engagement, and the behavioral intention to utilize translation technologies. The collected data were analyzed through a Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. Results indicated that computer self-efficacy significantly correlated with learning motivation, cognitive engagement, and behavioral intention to use translation technologies. Learning motivation and cognitive engagement were identified as critical mediators; combined, they exhibited a chain mediating effect on the association between computer self-efficacy and the intention to adopt translation technologies. Untangling the intertwined influences of these psychological constructs provides profound implications for the stakeholders, including tertiary education institutions, educators, curriculum developers, and technologists, to design effective pedagogical strategies and technology platforms to enhance translation technology adoption. This will equip students to harness these technologies and create a conducive environment for them to thrive in a globalized and digitally interconnected world.