Ethnocentrism and Motivation in Bilingual Students' Language Learning - A Study on the Ideal and Ought to L2-Self Constructs

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia

This paper investigates how ethnocentrism relates to language-learning motivation in bilingual students, using the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs within the L2 Motivational Self System. It also tests whether gender moderates the relationships between ethnocentrism and these two motivational self constructs. Data from 113 students were collected via an ethnocentrism questionnaire and a questionnaire measuring Ideal and Ought to L2-Self. Results show a negative correlation between ethnocentrism and Ideal L2-Self, while the link to Ought to L2-Self is not significant. Gender does not significantly moderate either relationship. The study highlights the need to address ethnocentrism and promote intercultural understanding.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Motivation constructs in the L2 Motivational Self System

Ethnocentrism and its links to intercultural sensitivity

Study design and findings

Implications and future research

The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language Ethnocentrism and Motivation in Bilingual Students' Language Learning: A Study on the Ideal and Ought to L2-Self Constructs February 2025– Volume 28, Number 4 [https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28112a1](https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28112a1) Hassan Mollahossein Urmia University, Iran [h.mollahossein@urmia.ac.ir](h.mollahossein@urmia.ac.ir) Karim Sadeghi Dhofar University, Oman [ksadeghi@du.edu.om](ksadeghi@du.edu.om) Abstract This paper examines the relationship between ethnocentrism and motivation in language learning, focusing on the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs ofthe L2 Motivational Self System. Additionally, the study examined the potential moderating effect of gender on the relationships between ethnocentrism and both the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs. The study included 113 students. Two questionnaires were used to collect data: an ethnocentrism questionnaire and a questionnaire assessing the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs. The results revealed a negative correlation between ethnocentrism and the Ideal L2-Self construct, indicating that as ethnocentrism increased, learners' ideal selves in terms of language ability and future language use decreased. However, no significant relationship was found between ethnocentrism and the Ought to L2-Self construct. Furthermore, the influence of gender was not significant in moderating the relationship between ethnocentrism and the Ideal L2-Self or between ethnocentrism and the Ought to L2-Self construct. The research emphasizes the importance of tackling ethnocentrism in language learning settings and advocates for promoting intercultural understanding in language education. The study’s implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided. Keywords: Ethnocentrism. Motivational Self System. Ideal L2-Self. Ought to L2-Self. EFL Learners. Teaching and learning a foreign language are cannot be separated from the cultural predisposition learners bring to the learning process. These cultural influences shape how learners interpret and engage with the language, often leading to biases. One such bias is ethnocentrism, defined as individuals' beliefs that their cultures and norms are superior and righteous, compared to others (Bennett, 2017). According to Neuliep et al. (2001), individuals with high levels of ethnocentrism tend to prefer interacting within their own culture and hold negative attitudes and perceptions toward individuals from other cultures. Given its significant role in social sciences, ethnocentrism has been investigated through various disciplinary lenses. Recently, researchers have increasingly employed agent-based models (ABMs) to study ethnocentrism and related concepts. One notable example is Hammond and Axelrod's model of ethnocentrism, which examines the dynamics of ethnocentrism within populations. This model explores how group-tag barriers and social interactions influence the emergence of ethnocentric behaviors and cooperation strategies (Lemos et al., 2019) . The definition and concept of ethnocentrism used in this study closely align with Hammond and Axelrod's model. Ethnocentrism is closely tied to the concepts of cultural distance and intercultural sensitivity. Cultural distance refers to the degree of dissimilarity or similarity between different cultures (Dutt, 2022) . Cultural distance plays a substantial role in language learning, as evidenced by various studies (Muszyńska et al., 2023; Lieb, 2022) . Moreover, intercultural sensitivity refers to the ability to develop emotions toward understanding and appreciating cultural differences, promoting appropriate and effective intercultural communication (Chen & Starosta,1996) . It involves being mindful to notice others, willing to learn about other cultures, and adapting one's behavior according to cultural differences (Bhawuk & Brislin, 2000) . Intercultural sensi

FAQs

What constructs of motivation does the study focus on?

The study focuses on the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs within the L2 Motivational Self System.

How many students participated, and how was data collected?

The study included 113 students. Data were collected using an ethnocentrism questionnaire and a questionnaire assessing Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs.

What relationship did the results show between ethnocentrism and Ideal L2-Self?

Ethnocentrism showed a negative correlation with Ideal L2-Self, meaning higher ethnocentrism is associated with lower ideal selves regarding language ability and future language use.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia