Correlations Between L2 Self And Motivation Intensity From The Perspective Of L2MSS

Motivation, as one influential affective factor in language learning, has always been a hot research topic in the field of language acquisition. After reviewing the development of language learning motivational theories, it is found that the theoretical framework of latest L2 motivational theory---Dornyei's L2 Motivational Self System manifest a defect by accentuating the effect of future L2 self (Ought-to L2 Self and Ideal L2 Self) on individual's learning motivation and neglecting the initiative function of individual's assessment towards present self status. This study attempts to construct a working model of L2 Motivational Self System by integrating Dornyei's L2 Motivational Self System and Xu Hongchen's English Learning Motivational Self System based on Possible Self Theory and Self-discrepancy Theory. To verify the validity of this working model, quantitative and qualitative research methods are both employed.After consulting Gardner's AMTB, Dornyei, Liu Fengge and Xu Hongchen' questionnaires, Non-English-Major Undergraduate's English Learning Questionnaire is compiled to collect relevant information with regard to 230 non-English-major sophomores' English learning motivations and behaviors from Southwest Petroleum University and 3 subjects among them are interviewed semi-structurally afterwards to investigate the following three questions:(1) What are the correlations among Present L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, Ideal L2 Self and L2 Learning Experience in this working model of L2MSS?(2) What are the correlations between these four components in L2MSS and motivation intensity?(3) With the improvement of learners'English proficiency levels, what are the changes among the correlations between four components in L2MSS and motivation intensity?(4) What is the correlation between L2 Self-discrepancy (differentials between Possible L2 Self and Present L2 Self) and participants'motivation intensity?With the aid of SPSS 19.0 on data processing, Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, Regression analysis and Independent-Samples T-test were conducted to investigate the interrelations among the four components in L2MSS, their relations with motivation intensity respectively and the relation between L2 Self-discrepancy and motivation intensity. After analyzing and discussing results from questionnaire data and interview content, major findings are concluded as follows:1. Present L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, Ideal L2 Self and L2 Learning Experience are positively correlated with each other, among which the correlation between Present L2 Self and other three components is most significant.2. Present L2 Self shows the strongest influence upon learners' motivation intensity, Ought-to L2 Self and Ideal L2 Self rank the second and L2 Learning Experience the weakest. However, their impact upon motivation intensity shifts with the change of English proficiency level:as for learners with low English proficiency level, Ought-to L2 Self presents the strongest relation towards their motivation intensity; and as for learners with moderate and high English proficiency, Present L2 Self affects their motivation intensity most significantly, and Ideal L2 Self the slightest.3. There is positive correlation between L2 Self-discrepancy and learners' motivation intensity. Although the correlation is minor (r=0.164, p=0.016<0.05), leaners' motivation intensity demonstrates an increase as the distance between L2 Self extends.The present study has verified the validity of this working model of L2MSS with Present L2 Self. In addition, the methods to increase English learners' motivation intensity by emphasizing their appraisal upon Present L2 Self are proposed in this study so as to provide some reference for other researchers' future study in this field.