Role of Bilingualism and Biculturalism as Assets in Positive Psychology: Conceptual Dynamic GEAR Model

Abstract

Are bilingualism and/or biculturalism good for a person’s positive well being? A growing number of studies have shown different positive outcomes of being exposed to two cultures or speaking two languages respectively, but the benefits of being both bilingual and bicultural have rarely been investigated theoretically or empirically. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the main beneficial outcomes of bilingualism and biculturalism, and to integrate these benefits into a new conceptual framework: Positive Bilingualism and Biculturalism GEAR model. The GEAR model suggests that the beneficial outcomes of bilingualism and biculturalism can be systematically classified into four positive dimensions (psychological Growth; cognitive Exploration; linguistic Awareness; and social Reinforcement), in which there are dynamic interactions among these four dimensions. The hypothetical GEAR model provides an intricate theoretical approach to understand the potential benefits to an individual of experiencing more than one language and one culture in their life. The proposed model in this research offers a systematic framework for conducting future research to examine whether bilingualism and biculturalism accrue benefits to the individual.

The role of learner character strengths and classroom emotions in L2 resilience

“…In addition, due to the well-acknowledged negative associations between negative and positive emotions, negative paths were predicted from anxiety to enjoyment (e.g., Dewaele and Alfawzan, 2018;Saito et al, 2018;Moskowitz and Dewaele , 2020; among many others), as well as from boredom to enjoyment (Dewaele and Li, 2022;Li and Wei, 2022). Likewise, similar negative paths were estimated from anxiety and boredom to resilience based on theoretical argumentations made by past investigations (e.g., Connor and Davidson, 2003;Chen and Padilla, 2019;Shao et al, 2020).…”

“…The negative emotions of anxiety and Boredom are often negatively linked with learner resilience whereas highly anxious and bored EFL learners exhibit lower resilience in L2 learning (e.g., Connor and Davidson, 2003;Chen and Padilla, 2019;Shao et al, 2020). In addition, examined the predictive effects of TEI and online learning achievement perceptions on the Boredom of 348 Chinese tertiary students.…”

Negative Life Events and Time Perspective Among Adolescents

“…Moreover, different acculturation, socialization, and racialization experiences have resulted in varying identity developments among immigrants (Berry, 2003;Kuo & Roysircar, 2004;Rumbaut, 2004). This observation led to the rise in biculturalism studies, a multicultural approach that is sensitive to the social, psychological, and cultural complications behind one's racial, ethnic, and identity development (Chen & Padilla, 2019;Nguyen & BenetMartínez, 2013;Schwartz & Unger, 2010). The present study explored the relationship between biculturalism and college experience: for bicultural students such as international and immigrant students, how would their bicultural identity impact their college experience?…”

Exploring the Relationship Between Chinese EFL Students' Grit, Well-Being, and Classroom Enjoyment

“…The instructive research domain was preoccupied with inspecting negative emotions such as boredom, apprehension, stress, and foreign language classroom anxiety in classes (Horwitz et al, 1986;MacIntyre and Gardner, 1989;Shaw et al, 1996;Harris, 2000;Horwitz, 2000Horwitz, , 2001Rodríguez and Abreu, 2003;Tran, 2012;Capone et al, 2019;Fathi and Derakhshan, 2019;Chen et al, 2021;Derakhshan et al, 2021). But, considering the negative aspects is only half of the issue, so a new approach, positive psychology (PP) in educational settings, has grown throughout previous decades and is welcomed by scholars (Mercer et al, 2018;Chen and Padilla, 2019;De Ruiter et al, 2019;MacIntyre et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2021), and the eminence of affectivity in both second and foreign language instruction research has been at the center of attention of many researchers lately (Fathi and Derakhshan, 2019;Derakhshan, 2021;Pishghadam et al, 2021;Xie and Derakhshan, 2021;Yazdanmehr et al, 2021;Zeng, 2021). PP hunts for congruence between conventional psychology, with its emphasis on reviewing problematic manners such as anxiety and stress, but moves the route of the study to human powers and constructing psychological capitals that embrace the procedures and circumstances that result in pleasure, enjoyment, and efficacy (Seligman, 2011).…”