Motivational dimension of willingness to communicate in L2: The impacts of criterion measure, ideal L2 self, family influence, and attitudes to L2 culture

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to explore the interrelationship between four components of Dornyei's Motivational Self-System (criterion measure, ideal L2 self, attitudes to L2 culture and community, and family influence) and willingness to communicate in the second language (L2 WTC). Questionnaire data were collected from 160 Iranian EFL learners. Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that four aforementioned motivational factors can account for approximately 10 percent of the variance in WTC among Iranian EFL learners. Furthermore, this study found that WTC correlated significantly and positively with all motivational factors except family influence. Besides, it was found that among the components of WTC, WTC in reading correlated with both criterion measure and ideal L2 self. WTC in writing did not correlate with any of the motivational factors. WTC in listening was associated with criterion measure as well as ideal L2 self, although the magnitude of correlation with ideal L2 self was higher. The discussion and implications of the findings are presented with reference to the earlier findings.