The Role of Social Support on Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation among Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

The role of motivation continues to play a fundamental role in the field of learning English as a foreign language (EFL). EFL Learners are intrinsically and extrinsically motivated. Accordingly, those who learn L2 for their own self-perceived needs and goals have intrinsic motivation while those who pursue a goal in L2 learning only to receive an external reward from somebody else are extrinsically motivated. The aim of the study was to explore if social support from different sources influence the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. It was hypothesized that motivation would be associated with social support such as support from parents, siblings, and EFL teachers. This study aimed at exploring the effects of social support on motivation among 60 intermediate Iranian EFL male and female learners. To this end, using a validated researchers-made questionnaire and conducting semi-structured interviews with a random of 15 participants, the current study examined the effects of social support on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among Iranian EFL learners. The results revealed that support from others (i.e., parents, siblings, and EFL teachers) significantly influenced both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. It could be claimed that those L2 learners who are supported intrinsically and extrinsically are more motivated to learn English. It might be recommended to the EFL teachers and parents providing situations in which L2 learners benefit from different kinds of motivations.