Lots of Selves, some rebellious: Developing the Self Discrepancy Model for language learners

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lots of Selves, some rebellious

T2 - Developing the Self Discrepancy Model for language learners

AU - Lanvers, Ursula

N1 - ©2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy.

PY - 2016/6/22

Y1 - 2016/6/22

N2 - This article develops a new language learning motivation model, which is, like thecurrently dominant model by D€ornyei, based on Higgins’ (1987) Self Discrepancy Theory.Increasing evidence of ‘non-fit’ of D€ornyei’s model, especially (but not solely) from language learners with English as a first language, let to the author revisiting Higgins’ original, which had more complex delineation of different Selves that adopted by D€ornyei. After critically reviewing the body of literature suggesting ‘non-fit’ of D€ornyei’s model, a model with Higgins’ original delineations of Selves is proposed and adapted to the language learning context, and then applied on novel data from two different learner groups with English as first language: mature university and adolescent school students. The proposedSelf Discrepancy Model for Language Learners contributes to solutions of several problems raised in current discussion of language learner motivation: it provides a better fit of data seemingly incompatible with D€ornyei’s model, especially a learner type labelled ‘rebellious’, offers a better embedding of a range of contextual influences on motivation, and facilitates developmental perspectives on language learner motivation. The empirical data delivers on the first two goals, and offers pathways regarding the last.

AB - This article develops a new language learning motivation model, which is, like thecurrently dominant model by D€ornyei, based on Higgins’ (1987) Self Discrepancy Theory.Increasing evidence of ‘non-fit’ of D€ornyei’s model, especially (but not solely) from language learners with English as a first language, let to the author revisiting Higgins’ original, which had more complex delineation of different Selves that adopted by D€ornyei. After critically reviewing the body of literature suggesting ‘non-fit’ of D€ornyei’s model, a model with Higgins’ original delineations of Selves is proposed and adapted to the language learning context, and then applied on novel data from two different learner groups with English as first language: mature university and adolescent school students. The proposedSelf Discrepancy Model for Language Learners contributes to solutions of several problems raised in current discussion of language learner motivation: it provides a better fit of data seemingly incompatible with D€ornyei’s model, especially a learner type labelled ‘rebellious’, offers a better embedding of a range of contextual influences on motivation, and facilitates developmental perspectives on language learner motivation. The empirical data delivers on the first two goals, and offers pathways regarding the last.

KW - language learning, motivation, self system, rebellious self

U2 - 10.1016/j.system.2016.05.012

DO - 10.1016/j.system.2016.05.012

M3 - Article

VL - 60

SP - 79

EP - 92

JO - System

JF - System

ER -