PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING LANGUAGE LEARNING
Keywords:
motivation, anxiety, self-efficacy, attitude, language acquisition, psychology of learningAbstract
Language learning is not merely a cognitive process but also a psychological experience shaped by learners’ emotions, attitudes, and motivation. This study explores the major psychological factors that influence foreign language acquisition, focusing on motivation, anxiety, self-efficacy, and attitude. Data were collected from a group of university students learning English as a foreign language through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that learners with higher intrinsic motivation and positive attitudes toward the target language tend to perform better, while anxiety and lack of confidence negatively impact language progress. The paper concludes that psychological factors play a central role in language learning success and recommends that teachers create a supportive and low-anxiety environment to enhance students’ motivation and confidence.
References
1. Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
2. Gardner, R. C. (1985). Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitudes and Motivation. London: Edward Arnold.
3. Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125–132.
4. MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1991). Methods and results in the study of anxiety and language learning: A review of the literature. Language Learning, 41(1), 85–117.
5. Oxford, R. L., & Shearin, J. (1994). Language learning motivation: Expanding the theoretical framework. The Modern Language Journal, 78(1), 12–28.
6. Csizér, K., & Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The internal structure of language learning motivation and its relationship with language choice and learning effort. The Modern Language Journal, 89(1), 19–36.
7. Ellis, R. (2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
8. Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
9. Liu, M., & Huang, W. (2011). An exploration of foreign language anxiety and English learning motivation. Education Research International, 2011, 1–8.
10. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.
