Individual Differences of Korean University Students in L2 Motivational Self System

Kang, Dongho. 2017. Individual differences of Korean university students in L2 Motivational Self System. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics 17-3, 581-601. The purpose of this study was to examine individual differences of Korean college students in L2 motivations. The goal of the study was two-fold: (1) investigating differences in motivations among the subgroups (grade, proficiency, and gender) and (2) examining the effects of L2 motivations on motivated behavior of the same sub-groups. There were statistically significant differences in bad learning experiences, integrativeness, and elusive ideal L2 self among the grade levels and bad learning experiences and ought-to L2 self were the common predictors to L2 motivations. High level students showed more positive attitudes in the five motivational factors: promotional instrumentality, bad learning experiences, integrativeness, elusive ideal L2 self, ethnocentrism, and intercultural avoidance while the low levels’ motivated behavior was influenced by more affective side of L2 motivation. There were also significant differences between males and females in the five motivational factors: bad learning experiences, ought-to L2 self, integrativeness, elusive ideal L2 self, and ethnocentrism. The theoretic and pedagogic discussions will be made at the conclusion.