Attitudinal Variables in Foreign Language Learning: Role of Ethnocentrism and Anomie
Keywords:
attitude, ethnocentrism, anomie, socio-cultural factors, in-group, out-group, learnersAbstract
The paper gives a report on a research study conducted in an attempt to identify potential barriers in achieving higher target language proficiency. The research investigated learners’ levels of ethnocentrism and anomie; for that purpose, 112 students studying at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, enrolled in an English course for the purpose of fulfilling faculty requirements, were asked to rate the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with statements expressing views about Serbian and English/ American cultures, societies and languages. The statements tested the students’ levels of: general ethnocentrism, language ethnocentrism and anomie. The participants’ responses to the statements were correlated with their levels of English proficiency as measured by a written test, which tested their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, and by an interview, which tested their speaking skills. The hypothesis that there would be a significant correlation between the variables measured and the students’ score on proficiency measures was investigated.
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