The Effects of Gender and Personality on Foreign Language Anxiety among Adult Multilinguals

Vasiliki Gargalianou, Katrin Muehlfeld, Diemo Urbig and Arjen Van Witteloostuijn
Additional contact information
Vasiliki Gargalianou: University of Antwerp, Belgium
Katrin Muehlfeld: University of Trier, Germany & Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Arjen Van Witteloostuijn: Tilburg University, the Netherlands & University of Antwerp, Belgium

No SDP15002, Schumpeter Discussion Papers from Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library

Abstract: We investigate the relationship between gender and foreign language anxiety (FLA) in the second language (L2: English) of 320 adult bilinguals (L1: Dutch) outside the foreign language learning context. Results show that females experience higher levels of FLA. The association between gender and FLA, however, is a reflection of gender differences in personality; personality mediates most of this relationship. Individuals who are highly emotional or conscientious—dimensions for which males and females demonstrate substantial differences—experience higher levels of FLA. Furthermore, this relationship is stronger for women; that is, gender also acts as moderator to the personality-FLA relationship.

Keywords: foreign language anxiety; gender; personality; survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43
Date: 2015-02
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://elekpub.bib.uni-wuppertal.de/ubwhsmig/down ... riginalFilename=true (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bwu:schdps:sdp15002

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Schumpeter Discussion Papers from Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Frank Hoffmann ().