Investigating L2 Learners’ Writing Self-efficacy as a Complex Dynamic System

Abstract

There has been a growing interest in SLA in studying second language (L2) writing development and change from a complex perspective, taking into consideration the full combination of learning processes, learners and contexts of learning. Thus, the research reported here applies a Dynamic Systems Theory (DST) approach to investigate L2 writers" sense of self-efficacy. Although self-efficacy is usually viewed as task-specific, and therefore measured in relation to specific situations, such an approach tends to lead to the production of cross-sectional research looking at one time and one context only. This study moves instead to consider L2 writing self-efficacy as a complex dynamic system that evolves in response to the environment as well as internal re-organisation. Changes in L2 learners" writing self-efficacy were traced over a six-week period through the use of writing self-efficacy questionnaires and introspective journals. Results suggest that L2 writing self-efficacy is best perceived as a dynamic, rather than a fixed, construct, and as complex rather than one-dimensional. Students" perception of their abilities to write is changeable, decentralised, open to influences from the environment and from other external factors, displays non-linear development and tends to settle down in attractor states.

Psychology of Efl Learners in Saudi Universities: A Literature Review

“…Self-efficacy has been found to be linked to a range of variables by existing research, ranging from attainment, age and gender (Tilfarlioğlu & Cğnkara, 2009), environmental and personal factors (Almutlaq & Etherington, 2018), communicative activities in the classroom (Leeming, 2017) and experience abroad (Kim, 2020).…”

“…Based on the year of publication for each study, Table 2 shows an increasing interest in psychological factors influencing EFL learning. (Chiu & Wong, 2018;Gan, 2009;Liu & Ni, 2015;Miao & Vibulphol, 2021;Qiu & Lee, 2020;Xu, Fan & Luo 2020;Yan & Horowitz, 2008) Hungary (Tilfarlioğlu & Cğnkara, 2009;Tóth, 2007) Article DOI: 10.52589/BJELDP-40FWSI7U DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.52589/BJELDP-40FWSI7U www.abjournals.org Iran (Ali, Shamsan & Guduru et al, 2019;Chalak & Kassaian, 2010;Choubsaz & Choubsaz, 2014;Fathi, Derakhshan & Torabi, 2020;Golparvar & Khafi, 2021;Masyhur, Mohd, Yasin & Yunus, 2018;Roshandel, Ghonsooly & Ghanizadeh, 2018;Soleimani & Hanafi, 2013;Zare & Riasti, 2012) Indonesia (Mbato & Kharismawan, 2018) Japan (Andrade & Williams, 2009;Fuji, 2018;Leeming, 2017;Tanakaa & Ellis, 2016) Jordan (Al-Sawalha, 2016) Korean (Chae, 2013;Gan, 2009;Kim, 2011;Lee & Lo, 2017) Lebanon (Bahous, Bacha & Nabhani, 2011) Malaysia (Ahmed, 2015;Masyhur, Mohd, Yasin & Yunus, 2018) Saudi Arabia (Abu-Snoubar, 2017;Alkaff, 2013;Alkhalaf, 2020;Almutlaq & Etherington;Al-Shehri, 2018) Taiwan (Cheng, Horwitz & Schallert, 1999) Thailan...…”

Revisiting Research Methods in Language Learning Psychology From a Complexity Dynamic System Theory Perspective

“…Among many constructs in L2 learning, anxiety, motivation, stress, efficacy, WTC, interpersonal communication skills, resilience, stroke, enjoyment, engagement etc. have been substantially explored in different educational contexts (Dewaele and MacIntyre, 2014;Almutlaq and Etherington, 2018;Boudreau et al, 2018;Derakhshan et al, 2019;Derakhshan, 2021;Pishghadam et al, 2021). However, these studies have mostly been correlational and based on quantitative data.…”

“…Drawing on these conceptualizations, recently, SLA scholars have examined CDST in relation to the different learner and teacher psychology constructs including anxiety, motivation, willingness to communicate (WTC), agency, self-efficacy, demotivation, and enjoyment (Almutlaq and Etherington, 2018;Boudreau et al, 2018;Hiver and Papi, 2019;Larsen-Freeman, 2019;Syed and Kuzborska, 2020). In a similar manner, the impact of CDST on L2 students' listening (Dong, 2016), speaking (Dou et al, 2021), and writing skills (Fogal and Verspoor, 2020) has caught duly attention among researchers in this domain.…”

The Role of Nested Systems in EFL Students' Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and Engagement

“…In the pertinent literature, there exist some studies on different L2 psychology constructs such as anxiety, (de)motivation, agency, self-efficacy, identity, and enjoyment using CDST perspectives (Kaplan and Garner, 2017;Almutlaq and Etherington, 2018;Boudreau et al, 2018;Hiver and Papi, 2019;Larsen-Freeman, 2019). However, few studies (if any) have explored the constructs of WTC and engagement in English as a foreign language/English as a second language (EFL/ESL) contexts via this meta-theory.…”