The Effect of College Students’ Learning Motivation on Foreign

Language Classroom Anxiety

Yuxuan Wang

School of Foreign Languages, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China

Keywords: Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety, Learning Motivation, College Students.

Abstract: The link between foreign language classroom anxiety and learning motivation has been a prominent topic in

secondary language learning research since foreign language classroom anxiety was introduced. This study

examined the influence of college students’ learning motivation on anxiety in foreign language classrooms

and its underlying mechanisms via a literature review. Research indicates that learning motivation is signifi-

cantly negatively correlated with foreign language classroom anxiety, and different kinds of motivation have

various effects on foreign language classroom anxiety. Moreover, learning motivation is a crucial element in

mitigating foreign language classroom anxiety. Educators can boost college students’ learning motivation and

alleviate anxiety levels through varied teaching methods and emotional support, hence improving the efficacy

of foreign language acquisition.

1 INTRODUCTION

The topic of foreign language classroom anxiety, ini-

tially proposed by Horwitz and other scholars in

1986, has attracted significant interest. Research has

been undertaken on its influencing factors, such as

students’ self-esteem, teachers’ beliefs, and learning

motivation (Young, 1991; Horwitz et al., 1986). This

research has shown an opposite connection between

foreign language classroom anxiety and learning mo-

tivation. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism by

which anxiety is influenced by learning motivation

remains unclear. To examine the impact of learning

motivation on foreign language classroom anxiety,

the paper systematically analyzes the correlation be-

tween learning motivation and foreign language

classroom anxiety by reviewing historical studies on

the elements that influence this anxiety. In addition, it

examines relevant research to clarify this relationship,

aiming to provide insights for alleviating students’

anxiety in foreign language classrooms and improv-

ing learning effectiveness.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Research on Foreign Language

Classroom Anxiety

Anxiety is classified as a peculiar sensation, also re-

ferred to as a psychological abnormality. Anxiety is

generally characterized as an emotional state marked

by apprehension and fear, which emerges when an in-

dividual’s self-worth and self-assurance diminish or

when feelings of failure and guilt escalate owing to

the expectation of failing to achieve a goal or the like-

lihood of being unable to overcome a challenge

(Wang & Wan, 2001). Language anxiety is a multi-

faceted psychological issue pertaining to language ac-

quisition, wherein the subjective emotions, psycho-

physiological symptoms, and psychological

responses of anxious foreign language learners

closely resemble those associated with any form of

anxiety. These learners experience apprehension,

concern, and fear. They encounter difficulties with

concentration, exhibit forgetfulness, perspire, and

display depressive symptoms (Horwitz et al., 1986;

Wang & Wan, 2001).

Horwitz et al. characterized foreign language

classroom anxiety as a response that limits students

from doing well in the classroom. Subsequently, con-

siderable worldwide study on foreign language class-

524

Wang, Y.

The Effect of College Students’ Learning Motivation on Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety.

DOI: 10.5220/0014002500004912

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Innovative Education and Social Development (IESD 2025), pages 524-529

ISBN: 978-989-758-779-5

room anxiety has been done, with Gardner and Mac-

Intyre (1993) described it to be “ the fear and unease

an individual experiences in a course teaching foreign

languages or contexts with the use of a foreign lan-

guage. ” It may arise from self-doubt over language

proficiency or fear of evaluation. Foreign language

classroom anxiety is classified into three dimensions:

communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear

of negative evaluation (Wang & Wan, 2001).

Research on the influencing factors of foreign lan-

guage classroom anxiety

Initial research concentrated on anxiety sources,

including language proficiency deficiencies, teacher

assessments, and peer pressure, exploring the impact

of anxiety on language learning from a social-psycho-

logical viewpoint. Sparks and Ganschow (1991) iden-

tified a significant correlation between students’ abil-

ity in their native language, aptitude for a second

language, and anxiety toward the non-native language

classrooms.

In the 21st century, there has been an increased

focus on the influence of individual variations (such

as personality traits and linguistic aptitude) and social

factors including classroom environment and teacher

conduct on foreign language classroom anxiety.

Dewaele (2013) investigated the relationship between

character traits (such as nervousness and extraver-

sion) and anxiety in English classes. Research on the

determinants of foreign language classroom anxiety

has commenced in China. These studies have cen-

tered on the manifestation of anxiety and its effects

on language acquisition. Chen (2010) examined col-

lege students’ anxiety toward English learning in a

computer network environment and discovered that

the teaching model in this setting had effectively

eased students’ worries and enhanced learning effi-

ciency.

In recent years, scholars have concentrated on the

complicated connection between learning motivation

and foreign language classroom anxiety. The findings

from Papi’s (2010) structural equation model indicate

that learning motivation is essential for alleviating

anxiety. Chen (2019) discovered that foreign lan-

guage classroom anxiety had mediated the associa-

tion between motivating behavior and self-efficacy in

oral participation inside the classroom. Guo and Xu

(2013) discovered through empirical research that in-

creased learning motivation had corresponded with

reduced foreign language classroom anxiety.

2.2 Research on Learning Motivation

Motivation is the progressive progressive within

an individual who launches, guides, supervises, pro-

motes, ends, and assesses mental and motor processes

involved in selecting, prioritizing, operationalizing,

and executing (successfully or otherwise) initial

wishes and desires (Dornyei, 2000). The motivation

for learning foreign languages has consistently been

a significant driving force in the acquisition process

for learners, representing a noteworthy individual dif-

ference deserving of further investigation in language

acquisition research (Zhang & Du, 2021). Strong

learning motivation is essential for successful lan-

guage acquisition (Ren & He, 2018). Consequently,

motivation is a key driver of success in foreign lan-

guage acquisition (Zhang & Du, 2021).

Previous studies indicate that learning motivation

can be classified into various types. According to

Gardener and Lambert’s (1959) psychosocial stage

theory, the motivation for foreign language acquisi-

tion is categorized as integral as well as instrumental

(Zhang & Du, 2021). The former relates to individu-

als with a particular curiosity in the culture of the in-

tended language and a wish for further research, while

the latter concerns learners’ efforts to excel in an ex-

amination or obtain job (Ren & He, 2018). Deci and

Ryan (2000) classified learning motivation into in-

trinsic and extrinsic categories. Intrinsic motivation

denotes one’s impetus to participate in an activity

based on the intrinsic interest and satisfaction derived

from the action itself. Intrinsic motivation originates

from the intrinsic allure of the action, whereas extrin-

sic motivation pertains to a person’s inspiration to-

wards engaging in an activity to secure an outside re-

ward or just evade punishment. Extrinsic motivation

originates from external causes, like prizes, acco-

lades, grades, or social acknowledgment. Brown

(1981) categorized motivation into three types: global

motivation, situational motivation, and task motiva-

tion (Ren & He, 2018). Crookes and Schmidt (1989)

classified motivation into long-term and short-term

categories. Long-term motivation refers to the sus-

tained interest and dedication of learners in second

language acquisition over an extended duration (e.g.,

several years), typically associated with their over-

arching objectives and anticipations regarding lan-

guage learning. Long-term motivation encompasses

not only particular language acquisition activities but

also metacognitive methods, including planning and

attention distribution. Short-term motivation pertains

to the learner’s involvement and concentration on

specific tasks related to learning. This form of moti-

vation is typically associated with a particular learn-

ing task, including the appeal of the classroom activ-

ity or the instructor’s direction.

The Effect of College Students’ Learning Motivation on Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety

525

3 RESEARCH ON THE EFFECT

OF COLLEGE STUDENTS’

LEARNING MOTIVATION ON

FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASS-

ROOM ANXIETY

3.1 Data and Methods

In 2013, Guo and Xu executed a questionnaire re-

search project to evaluate and compare the learning

anxiety of non-English major college students enrol-

ling in English summer camps to those studying in

normal college English classrooms at a university in

central China. The study used the Foreign Language

Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al., 1986) and

divided foreign language classroom anxiety into three

dimensions: communicative apprehension, exam

anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, and general

anxiety inside the foreign language classes. The re-

search object was 120 students who participated in

English summer camps and the changes in students’

anxiety levels between the two forms of instruction

were measured by a paired sample test.

Yuan’s study used a comparative teaching exper-

iment in 2012 to investigate the effects of subject

Content-Based Instruction (CBI) on students’ moti-

vation and anxiety. The experimental and control

groups were second-year non-English majors at a uni-

versity who received CBI and regular college English

instruction, respectively. The research included a

blend of qualitative and quantitative techniques, with

three repeated measures of the two groups of students

using the Motivation Scale and the Anxiety Percep-

tion Scale, and data were analyzed in conjunction

with interviews and learning journals.

Furthermore, in 2024, Liu et al. used the English

Classroom Anxiety Scale, the English Learning Mo-

tivation Scale, and the Demographic Information

Questionnaire to survey 571 Chinese university stu-

dents from various grades and disciplines. The data

were analyzed with SPSS 27.0 software, employing

descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multi-

ple stepwise regression analysis to determine the re-

lationship between learning motivation and foreign

language classroom anxiety, along with their predic-

tive effects on foreign language achievement. In

2019, Wang’s study, from a speaking perspective, uti-

lized the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire,

the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, the

Questionnaire of Motivation to Speak English, and

the Working Memory Test to examine 190 second-

year college students majoring in English from three

comprehensive universities of varying levels in

Jiangsu Province. Validity validation and covariance

diagnosis were conducted using SPSS 19.0, while

AMOS 22.0 facilitated structural equation modeling

analysis. Results indicated that foreign language anx-

iety directly influences the ability to speak and nega-

tively affects motivation., thereby mediating the rela-

tionship between motivation and speaking

performance. Alamer et al. (2021) employed the

Basic Psychological Needs (BPN) scale, the Self-De-

termined Motivation (SDT) scale, and the Language

Anxiety Inventory to develop a questionnaire admin-

istered to 134 Saudi Arabian university students stud-

ying English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Open-

ended questions were employed for collecting data on

the many types with anxiety students experience in

English language acquisition, encompassing social

anxiety, psychological anxiety, language competence

anxiety, and situational anxiety. Logistic Regression

(LR) analysis was employed to evaluate the predic-

tive efficacy of BPN and SDT motivating variables

concerning various forms of language anxiety. This

document delineates the impact of SDT motivating

variables on linguistic anxiety.

3.2 Results and Analysis

Guo and Xu’s (2013) study revealed that students’

overall anxiety levels in English summer camp class-

rooms had been markedly lower than in regular col-

lege English classrooms. In the analysis of the three

dimensions, the summer camp classroom exhibited

lower levels of communicative apprehension, test

anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and general for-

eign language classroom anxiety compared to regular

classroom. The first two dimensions attained im-

portance in statistics (p<0.05, p<0.01), while the lat-

ter achieved an even greater level of significance

(p<0.01). However, there was no substantial differ-

ence in students’ lack of confidence in oral English

expression between the two instructional modes (Item

1: mean=2.50 in summer camp, mean=2.45 in regu-

lar, p>0.05; Item 2: mean=2.60 in summer camp,

mean=2.55 in regular, p>0.05), indicating that alter-

ing students’ self-concept in the short term is chal-

lenging. The participants in this study were college

students with a high motivation to learn English and

a strong interest in the language. The findings indi-

cated that the mean level of classroom anxiety was

lower, demonstrating that learning motivation signif-

icantly alleviates classroom anxiety, and the two var-

iables are negatively correlated.

Yuan’s (2012) study showed no significant differ-

ence in English learning motivation (t=0.369, p>0.05)

IESD 2025 - International Conference on Innovative Education and Social Development

526

and anxiety (t=0.196, p>0.05) among the experi-

mental and control groups prior to the experiment.

During the trial, the experimental group’s enthusiasm

for learning was much higher when compared to of

the control group (t=1.996, p<0.05), although the

overall motivation levels did not differ significantly.

At the experiment’s end, the motivation level of the

experimental group was far greater in contrast of the

control group (t=2.324, p<0.05), and the propensity

to learn was also more evident (t=2.387, p<0.05). A

small variance was noted across the two student

groups in test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and

overall foreign language classroom anxiety at the

middle of the trial. A notable disparity was observed

in communicative apprehension (t=2.739, p<0.01).

Upon conclusion of the experiment, the experimental

group had a considerable reduction in overall anxiety

relative to the control group (t=2.598, p<0.05) and ex-

hibited improved verbal communicative self-confi-

dence (t=2.829, p<0.01). The study’s findings sug-

gested that students with high academic motivation

experienced lower levels of anxiety overall.

In addition, Liu et al. (2024) demonstrated that

students exhibited low to moderate English classroom

anxiety (mean=2.89). This anxiety exhibited a signif-

icant negative correlation with all motivation scales

(correlation coefficients ranging from -0.10 to -0.52)

and was also significantly negatively correlated with

students’ standardized test scores (STS) and self-as-

sessed English proficiency (SOEP) (correlation coef-

ficients are -0.22 and -0.38). Wang (2019) identified

A noticeable negative link between anxiety about for-

eign language and motivation, with a correlation

value of -0.236, using tests and questionnaires sug-

gesting that increased foreign language anxiety corre-

sponds to diminished motivation to study. Alamer et

al. (2021) identified an inverse relationship between

autonomous motivation and language anxiety.

The aforementioned results align with the perti-

nent findings in the current literature. Horwitz et al.

(1986) discovered that foreign language classroom

anxiety was inversely associated with academic

achievement, but learning motivation was inversely

related to anxiety. This suggests that learning motiva-

tion significantly influences anxiety regulation, with

various studies demonstrating strong agreement on

this finding.

3.3 Limitations

The aforementioned research exhibits several limita-

tions. Guo and Xu’s research concentrated on not be-

ing proficient English major college students from a

university in central China; Yuan’s research exam-

ined non-English major sophomore students from a

university in China. Wang’s research exclusively ex-

amined 190 second-year English major college stu-

dents from Jiangsu Province, and the study sample of

Alamer et al. was confined to university students in

Saudi Arabia, rendering the results potentially inap-

plicable to other regions or educational levels. The

sample coverage of these researches is limited and

lacks extensive representation across various areas

and institutions. This may limit the generalizability of

the research findings and insufficiently illustrate the

connection between learning motivation and foreign

language classroom anxiety among learners from var-

ious locations and institutions. Regarding sample se-

lection, the two studies failed to specify the criteria

and procedures employed, potentially resulting in

sample selection bias. Students participating in Eng-

lish summer camps may possess elevated learning

motivation and interest in English, potentially result-

ing in research outcomes that inaccurately endorse a

negative correlation between learning motivation and

anxiety, failing to accurately represent the broader

population of college students. The self-assessment of

second language proficiency utilized in Liu’s study

may lack reliability, as students might undervalue

their capabilities. The study concurrently overlooked

additional characteristics that could influence second

language acquisition, including gender and age.

4 CONCLUSION

4.1 Summary

All the abovementioned studies indicated a signifi-

cant negative correlation between learning motiva-

tion and foreign language classroom anxiety; specifi-

cally, higher learning motivation corresponded to

reduced levels of foreign language classroom anxiety.

Guo and Xu’s research indicated that students attend-

ing an English summer camp exhibited had markedly

reduced anxiety levels in the camp classroom com-

pared to a conventional college English classroom, at-

tributable to their heightened learning motivation.

Yuan’s research revealed that students who under-

went subject-dependent CBI exhibited had elevated

overall English learning motivation and diminished

English learning anxiety compared to the control

group. The remaining research generated data via

questionnaires and evaluation techiques, demonstrat-

ing that heightened learning motivation coincides

with reduced degrees of foreign language classroom

anxiety throughout students. A research by Liu et al.

The Effect of College Students’ Learning Motivation on Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety

527

proved that learners exhibited low to moderate levels

of anxiety in English classrooms, and this anxiety was

significantly and adversely connected with intrinsic

motivation, extrinsic motivation, personal goals, and

a sense of expectation/control. Wang’s research

demonstrated an enormous negative link between for-

eign language anxiety and learning motivation, sug-

gesting that elevated quantities of foreign language

anxiety correspond to diminished learning drive. Al-

amer and other researchers’ research, viewed through

the lens of SDT, disclosed a contrary connection be-

tween autonomous motivation and language anxiety;

i.e., as autonomous motivation increased, language

anxiety decreased. The findings indicated that learn-

ing motivation had significantly mitigated foreign

language classroom anxiety, whereas such anxiety

adversely impacted foreign language achievement by

diminishing learning motivation.

Different instructional methods significantly in-

fluence students’ foreign language classroom anxiety

and motivation for learning. English summer camps

enhanced students’ learning motivation and allevi-

ated anxiety by offering intensive language practice

and authentic cultural communication experiences,

whereas CBI elevated motivation and subsequently

diminished anxiety by merging subject knowledge

with language acquisition, thereby instilling a genu-

ine purpose in learning English. Yuan’s research in-

dicated that variations had existed in the nature of

learning motivation regarding anxiety in foreign lan-

guage classrooms, with integration of different moti-

vations potentially exerting a more significant posi-

tive influence on alleviating anxiety.

4.2 Suggestions for Foreign Language

Teaching

In summary, learning motivation is a significant emo-

tional determinant influencing foreign language

classroom anxiety. University English instruction

should use many teaching methodologies, such as

English summer camps and CBI, to enhance student

motivation and alleviate foreign language classroom

anxiety. These instructional methods can offer col-

lege students authentic and diverse language usage

contexts, enhance possibilities for language practice,

and foster an appreciation for the practical relevance

of language acquisition, thereby boosting motivation

and reducing anxiety. Simultaneously, educators

must attend to students’ emotional requirements

throughout instruction and cultivate a comfortable,

enjoyable, and helpful classroom environment. En-

couraging students to engage actively in classroom

activities while providing positive feedback and as-

sessment can bolster their self-confidence and will-

ingness to study, promote independent learning, and

alleviate anxiety associated with foreign language

classes. Future research may employ experimental

methodologies and case studies to examine the dy-

namic fluctuations of learning motivation and anxiety

levels. This can be achieved by broadening the range

of experimental institutions, designing longitudinal

follow-up studies, and delving deeper into the internal

mechanisms governing the interplay of motivation

and anxiety. Additionally, it should emphasize the

distinctions across various learning stages and demo-

graphic groups, while incorporating additional emo-

tional aspects to enhance a comprehensive grasp of

the contribution of psychological factors on foreign

language acquisition. This will enhance college stu-

dents’ learning motivation and reduce their foreign

language classroom anxiety.

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