The Relationship among Iranian EFL Learners’ Motivation, Personality Traits, and Ambiguity Tolerance

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship among intermediate Iranian EFL learners’ motivation,
personality traits, and ambiguity tolerance. The participants were 120 intermediate EFL learners (60 male
& 60 female) which were selected from Zabansara Institute in Mahabad, based on their results on the
Nelson English Language Proficiency Test (Fowler & Coe, 1976). After the selection of the
participants,three quesionnaries of NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae1992), The Motivated
Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990), and The Second Language Tolerance
of Ambiguity Scale (Ely, 1995) were administered to the participants. After employing the Pearson
Product-Moment Correlation test, the results of the study indicated that: a) there was a significant
negative correlation between the learners’ motivation and Neuroticism; b) there were significant positive
correlations between the learners’ motivation scores and their Agreeableness, Extraversion,
Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience scores; c) there was a significant positive correlation
between the learners’ motivation and ambiguity tolerance; d) there was a significant negative correlation
between the learners’ ambiguity tolerance and Neuroticism; and e) there were significant positive
correlations between the EFL learners’ ambiguity tolerance and their Agreeableness, Extraversion,
Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience scores. It was suggested that, the results of the present
study may have both theoretical and practical implications for the field of second language acquisition.
Theoretically, the results can lead to a redefinition of the role of individual learner differences in the
process of second language acquisition in foreign language contexts. Practically, the results can help
syllabus designers to prepare more appropriate materials which are compatible with the language
learners’ personality traits, and increase their motivation in language classrooms. Moreover, the results
can help language teachers to recognize their learners’ cognitive styles including their tolerance of
ambiguity and design appropriate tasks for them.