Foreign Language Anxiety and Enjoyment in L2 German Interaction: An Idiodynamic Mixed-Methods Study of French-Speaking Learners

Details

Supervisors

Suner Munoz, Ferran ; He, Bailing

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en langues et lettres modernes, orientation germaniques, à finalité approfondie

Abstract

enThis mixed-methods study investigated the dynamic relationship between Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) and Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) during spontaneous oral interaction in German as a second language (L2). In addition, the study examined the role of learner variables such as speaking comfort, language attitudes and L2 motivation in shaping learners’ emotional experiences. Drawing on a sample of 69 L1 French university learners of German (minimum B1 level), the study first employed quantitative methods, including hierarchical cluster analysis, exploratory factor analysis, bootstrapping and non-parametric testing, to identify distinct learner profiles based on affective and motivational variables. Two learner clusters emerged, primarily differentiated by levels of anxiety, speaking comfort and language attitudes, whereas motivational variables did not significantly distinguish the groups. In a second phase, two representative learners participated in an idiodynamic study conducted in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Participants engaged in spontaneous oral interactions with a native speaker across three conversational segments of varying topic familiarity, after which they completed second-by-second idiodynamic ratings of their FLA and FLE. Stimulated recall interviews were subsequently conducted to explore the triggers underlying emotional fluctuations. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that emotional experiences were shaped by a complex interplay of linguistic, cognitive, affective and socio-evaluative factors, including lexical retrieval difficulties, fear of negative evaluation, topic engagement, linguistic fluency, self-monitoring and idea satisfaction and formulation. The findings support contemporary conceptualizations of FLA and FLE as dynamic, context-sensitive and partially independent emotional constructs rather than opposite ends of a single continuum. Although negative relationships between anxiety and enjoyment were frequently observed, both emotions also co-occurred and fluctuated independently depending on situational triggers and learners’ interpretations of the communicative context. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that topic familiarity alone could not fully explain emotional trajectories. Instead, emotional experiences emerged through the interaction of multiple learner-internal and external variables. Methodologically, the study highlights the value of combining quantitative clustering techniques with idiodynamic and qualitative approaches to capture the situated and fluctuating nature of learner emotions during authentic interaction. The findings contribute to the growing body of research advocating more dynamic and idiographic perspectives on second language emotions and provide further insights into the role of diverse internal and external variables in foreign language communication.