Ethnocentrism and Investment in Learning English in Multicultural English Classrooms: A Study of Iranian Medical Students

Abstract

Medical practitioners' ethnocentric orientations and English language skills contribute to intercultural communication in the context of health care. The present study is a quantitative survey study and aims to investigate the relationship between ethnocentrism and investment in learning English in the multicultural setting of English classrooms at an Iranian medical university. To this end, 200 Iranian medical students' levels of ethnocentrism and investment were measured using GENE and IELL scales. The data were analysed using descriptive data analysis and correlation analysis. The findings of this study revealed a strong negative relationship between the two constructs. The participants had relatively moderate levels of ethnocentrism and investment, but female medical students were found to be significantly less ethnocentric than male students. However, there were no significant differences between the two genders' levels of investment. Further, considering the importance of context this research, the relationship among ethnocentrism and investment, and various contextual factors such as linguistic loyalty, intercultural contact, and social comfort in multiethnic English classrooms were explored to explain the findings. Among different contextual factors, social comfort in classroom seemed to have the greatest impact on investment. Conclusion, suggestions, and limitations are discussed.