Motivational variables in second-language acquisition.

Abstract

MOST BESEABCH on second-language acquisition has been concerned with the measurement of an "ability for languages," the assumption being that achievement is largely due to a linguistic aptitude. However, when measures of aptitude are correlated with grades in language courses, the validity coefficients show considerable variability from situation to situation even with tests developed through factor analytic methods (2), suggesting that variables other than linguistic aptitude are involved. Researchers have mentioned that motivation and interest probably play important roles in second-language acquisition (4,5,8,16,18), but perhaps because of difficulties in measuring them, these aspects have not been given systematic attention.Theoretical attempts to explain how the child learns his first language have emphasized a particular type of motivation. Mowrer's theory (11) suggests that language acquisition is motivated by a desire to be like valued members of the family and, later, of the whole linguistic community. Ervin (6) has extended this view, suggesting that emotional dependence or respect for another individual may account for some instances of marked success in second-language achievement. Support for this extended interpretation has been found in recent studies where (a) fluency in the second language was found to depend upon an active interest in members of the other linguistic community ( 19); (fo) both extent of bilingualism ( 12) and advanced level of language study (7) were associated with lower F-scores; (c) dominance in the acquired language was related to personal dissatisfactions with one's own group (9). In line with this latter finding, adults electing to study French conversational courses scored higher on Srole's Anomie Scale ( 14) than students enrolled in the more grammatical courses, suggesting that adults 1 This research was supported by the Canadian Defence Research Board, Grant no. D77-94-01-10 and by a Ford Foundation Grant to D. O. Hebb. We are grateful to both Professor G. A. Ferguson (McGffl) and Professor J. B. Carroll (Harvard) for their advice on statistical analysis. In particular, we want to thank J. T. Mcllhone of the Catholic School Board of Montreal for his co-operation and kindness in permitting us to carry out this study.

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