Understanding the role of personality in explaining L2 learners’ DMC disposition

• Published in: Foreign language annals Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 429 - 451
• Main Author: Sak, Mehmet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria Wiley 01.07.2021; American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Subjects: College students; directed motivational currents; English (Second Language); English as a second language; English as a second language instruction; English as a second language learning; Factor Analysis; Foreign Countries; Foreign language learning; Higher education; Individual Differences; Learning Motivation; Learning Processes; Majors (Students); Motivation; Personality; Personality Measures; Personality Traits; Prediction; Predictor Variables; Role; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; State Universities; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Undergraduate Students; vision; Turkey
• ISSN: 0015-718X; 1944-9720
• DOI: 10.1111/flan.12524

Recent years have seen a growing research interest in the notion of directed motivational currents (DMCs) that defines highly intense motivational surges oriented to a much‐desired goal of personal significance. However, the learner characteristics that induce individual‐level variability in DMCs have yet to be explored. In particular, the role of personality in explaining variations in the DMC disposition remains empirically unresolved. The current study addresses this gap by looking at whether the five‐factor model (FFM) personality traits help explain variations in the DMC disposition among 172 Turkish undergraduate students majoring in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) at a state university in Turkey. Data were gathered using the 50‐item version of International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) and the 12‐item DMC Disposition Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that personality traits significantly predicted variability in the DMC disposition, together accounting for 42% of the variance. Conscientiousness and extraversion appeared as the strongest predictors. The findings in general bring preliminary insights into the learner characteristics that underlie individual‐level variability in DMCs, as well as having implications in particular for facilitating individual‐level DMC practices in the context of second/foreign language (L2) learning. The Challenge The learner characteristics that induce individual‐level variability in directed motivational currents (DMCs) have yet to be explored. In particular, the role of personality in explaining individual likelihood of experiencing a DMC remains empirically unresolved. This study addresses this gap by exploring to what extent the five‐factor model (FFM) personality traits help explain variations in the DMC disposition.