The Motion of Emotion: Idiodynamic Case Studies of Learners' Foreign Language Anxiety

Abstract

Language learning is an emotionally and psychologically dynamic process that is influenced by a myriad of ever‐changing variables and emotional “vibes” that produce moment‐by‐moment fluctuations in learners' adaptation. This individual‐level study triangulates physiological, idiodynamic, interview, and self‐report survey data of three high and three low anxiety language learners to examine their language anxiety, its triggers, and the interpretations of rapidly changing affective reactions over a short period of time. Participants were videorecorded giving a presentation, while wearing heart monitors, in their Spanish as a Foreign Language class. Using the idiodynamic method, participants self‐rated their moment‐by‐moment anxiety 42 times over three and a half minutes and later explained their reactions in an interview. The strong relationship observed among the various converging data sources demonstrates the strength of considering language learners on an individual level using triangulated quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study generated pedagogical implications for dealing with both positive and negative emotions, facilitating the reinterpretation of physiological cues, planning “escape routes” that allow participants to remain active in communication exchanges, and invoking the positive power of preparation, planning, and rehearsal.

Foreign Language Anxiety and Foreign Language Performance: A Meta‐Analysis

“…Indeed, FL anxiety has been found to be associated with factors such as self‐efficacy (e.g., Mills et al., ), self‐confidence (e.g., Clément et al., ), and FL motivation (e.g., Gardner & MacIntyre, ). More recently, there is a growing interest to investigate the relationship between anxiety and enjoyment (Dewaele et al., ; Dewaele et al., ; Dewaele & MacIntyre, ; Gregersen, MacIntyre, & Meza, ). This exciting development is a sign to suggest that research in the FL anxiety domain would yield fruitful outcomes, allowing future meta‐analyses to investigate how FL anxiety is associated with factors (e.g., identity) other than performance.…”

Motivation, Emotion, Learning Experience, and Second Language Comprehensibility Development in Classroom Settings: A Cross‐Sectional and Longitudinal Study

“…Crucially, such negative emotions have been claimed to influence the Ought-to Self aspect of motivation and vice versa: Prevention-focused L2 learners feel anxious when they perceive difficulty in achieving their obligations, duties, and responsibilities regarding their foreign language learning (Papi & Teimouri, 2014). More recently, several scholars have argued in favor of a more holistic view of emotions, including the role of positive emotions in foreign language classrooms (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014;MacIntyre & Gregersen, 2014). For example, one kind of positive emotion-enjoyment-is believed to help L2 learners better attend to, process, and acquire a target language (Dewaele & Alfawzan, in press;Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014).…”

“…Moreover, although anxiety can fluctuate during a class, it is typically linked to what L2 learners have experienced over a prolonged period of learning, such as test scores, attitude toward the target language, and standing relative to their peers in class (Horwitz, ). Anxiety has been linked to harsh error correction (Gregersen, ) or incompatibility between teachers and students (Gregersen, MacIntyre, & Maze, ) and thus has been identified as having a debilitating effect on L2 learning and achievement (for reviews, see Horwitz, , and MacIntyre, ). Crucially, such negative emotions have been claimed to influence the Ought‐to Self aspect of motivation and vice versa: Prevention‐focused L2 learners feel anxious when they perceive difficulty in achieving their obligations, duties, and responsibilities regarding their foreign language learning (Papi & Teimouri, ).…”

Changes in foreign language anxiety: A classroom perspective

“…In another study, Gregersen, Meza and MacIntyre () made use of physiological, idiodynamic, interview, and self‐report survey data of three high and three low anxiety language learners (five females and one male) to examine their language anxiety, its causes, and the interpretations of rapidly changing affective reactions over a short period of time. The six participants were selected from a larger group of 18 adult volunteers based upon their scores on FLCAS.…”