EFFECTS OF GENDER AND INTERACTION OF GENDER AND PERSONALITY TRAITS ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY
EFFECTS OF GENDER AND INTERACTION OF GENDER AND PERSONALITY TRAITS ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to determine the effects of gender and personality traits on foreign language anxiety, and the effects of gender-personality traits interaction on the foreign language anxiety. The research conceived in this way has the potential to further clarify the existing inconsistent results of the studies when it comes to investigating gender differences in foreign language anxiety. The study was conducted on the sample of 296 engineering students who attended the English language course. The data were collected using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al. 1986) and the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP). The results show that females experience higher level of foreign language anxiety than males. Emotional Stability and Intellect as personality traits are predictors of foreign language anxiety, and the effect of Emotional stability on language anxiety is more evident in men in comparison with women, while the effect of Intellect is more evident in women in comparison with men. Accordingly, it can be said that, Emotional stability has a stronger effect on language anxiety for men, while Intellect displays a stronger effect on language anxiety for women. Pedagogical implications of the research indicate that teaching strategies and curriculum can correct certain psychological effects in foreign language learning.

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