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Enjoyment and anxiety in second language communication: An idiodynamic approach

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Boudreau C., MacIntyre P. D., Dewaele J.-M.

Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching

2018

vol. 8

issue 1

149-170

Emotions are a fleeting experience, sometimes lasting only moments before dissipating. Prior research in SLA has either ignored emotions, underestimated their relevance, or has studied them as a relatively stable individual difference variable. In contrast, the present study takes an idiodynamic approach to examine the rapidly changing relationship between enjoyment and anxiety in second language communication, on a moment-to-moment timescale. University students who speak French as a second language were recruited to complete oral tasks in their second language. Participants then rated their per-second fluctuations in each emotion while watching a video recording of their tasks. Immediately after this, they were interviewed about their attributions for fluctuations in their ratings. We found that the relationship between enjoyment and anxiety is highly dynamic, resulting in varying patterns of correlation ranging from negative to positive. Triangulation of ratings of anxiety and enjoyment with interview data produces a richer understanding of the role of emotions in second language communication.

Do Girls Have All the Fun? Anxiety and Enjoyment in the Foreign Language Classroom

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Dewaele J.-M., MacIntyre P., Boudreau C., Dewaele L.

Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition

2016

vol. 2

issue 1

The present study focuses on gender differences in Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) among 1746 FL learners (1287 females, 449 males) from around the world. We used 21 items Likert scale ratings reflecting various aspects of FLE (AUTHORS), and 8 items extracted from the FLCAS (Horwitz et al., 1986). An open question on FLE also provided us with narrative data. Previous research on the database, relying on an average measure of FLE and FLCA (AUTHORS) revealed significant gender differences. The present study looks at gender differences in FLE and FLCA at item level. Independent t-tests revealed that female participants reported having significantly more fun in the FL class where they felt that they were learning interesting things, and they were prouder than male peers of their FL performance. However, female participants also experienced significantly more (mild) FLCA: they worried significantly more than male peers about their mistakes and were less confident in using the FL. Our female participants thus reported experiencing both more positive and more mild negative emotions in the FL classroom. We argue that this heightened emotionality benefits the acquisition and use of the FL.

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1 Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching

1 Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition

2 Boudreau C.

2 Dewaele J.-M.

1 Dewaele L.

1 MacIntyre P.

1 MacIntyre P. D.

1 2018

1 2016

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Enjoyment and anxiety in second language communication: An idiodynamic approach

Do Girls Have All the Fun? Anxiety and Enjoyment in the Foreign Language Classroom