Potential Bonds between Extroversion/Introversion and Iranian EFL Learners’ Listening Comprehension Ability

Parviz Alavinia,Abdolraoof Sameei

doi:10.5539/elt.v5n5p19

Abstract

The present study was implemented to investigate the possible relationship between introversion/extroversion and the listening ability of intermediate Iranian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners by taking into account their gender, age, and grades of study. A total of 120 Intermediate learners (62 males and 58 females) studying at Shokoh-e-Andishe Language Institute in Sardasht participated in the current study. The subjects were asked to fill the EPQ (Esyneck Personality Questionnaire) to be categorized as either introvert or extrovert. To test the research hypotheses set forth in the present study, Pearson correlation coefficient and two-way analysis of variance were run as the main statistical analyses. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between listening ability of subjects and the personality characteristic in question, i.e. extroversion vs. introversion. The scores of listening ability had a positive relationship with the introversion of subjects, that is, the more introvert the subjects, the better their performance on listening. However, as the findings revealed, no significant interaction relationship was found between gender and introversion/extroversion on the one hand and listening ability of subjects on the other; yet, there was a significant interaction relationship between introversion/extroversion and the participants’ age and grades of study, on the one hand and their listening ability, on the other.

Highlights

1.1 ForewordAmong the pivotal issues of considerable concern in EFL (English as a Foreign Language)/SLA (Second Language Acquisition), one can refer to the possible linkages between personality characteristics and language learning
Among the manifold personality factors, the researchers have opted for the analysis of one of the paramount dichotomous cases widely known as introversion/extroversion, and its would-be go-togetherness with the learners’ listening ability
As the results shown in table 7 disclose, the Correlation Coefficient calculated regarding the relationship between introversion/extroversion and the listening ability of subjects equals 0.718, with the level of significance being 0.000, which, points to the existence of a statistically significant correlation between the two variables in question

Summary

Introduction

1.1 ForewordAmong the pivotal issues of considerable concern in EFL (English as a Foreign Language)/SLA (Second Language Acquisition), one can refer to the possible linkages between personality characteristics and language learning. Though a plethora of varied factors are involved in the intricate process of language learning, learner variables and individual differences have always been in the foreground of attention of psycholinguists and psychometricians. As factors like these are regarded to be of prime salience in the macro-level analysis of learning processes, a growing amount of heed is being given to an examination of such variables. One of the major preoccupations of the present-day researchers is coming up with clear-cut answers to questions like why language learners who enjoy similar backgrounds are found to acquire a second language with varying degrees of success. Among the manifold personality factors, the researchers have opted for the analysis of one of the paramount dichotomous cases widely known as introversion/extroversion, and its would-be go-togetherness with the learners’ listening ability

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion