"Why Do You Study a Foreign Language?" Chinese College Students' Motivational Reasons for Learning English

• In Event: Motivation and Cognition in Learning and Instruction

Abstract

This study focuses on exploring Chinese English-major students’ motivational-reasons for studying English. We used self-determination theory (SDT) by Deci and Ryan (1985) as our theoretical framework. The results of the cluster analysis indicated five motivational-reason groups for English majors: Ambiguous, Typical, Instrumental, Complex, and Autonomous. In addition, two sets of MANOVAs, with follow-up ANOVA-comparisons, were used to describe motivational-reason group-differences regarding achievement-goals and foreign language anxieties. One ANOVA was used to determine group-differences regarding general foreign language self-efficacy. The results indicated significant differences across students in the five motivational-reason groups regarding their achievement-goals, foreign language anxieties, and general foreign language self-efficacy.

Authors

• Juhee Kim, Florida State University – Tallahassee

• Jeannine E. Turner, Florida State University