A Study On The Correlation Between Foreign Language Learning Burnout And Personality Traits

Since the emotional factors have been taken into learning, more and more researchers began to study their influence on foreign language learning. In the current system, the concept of foreign language learning emotions mainly refers to negative emotions associated with agitation-related negative emotions, namely the anxiety during the foreign language learning process. In the field of foreign language learning emotions, it lacks the systematic research on language learners? burnout- exhaustion, apathy and other negative emotions. In recent years, many researchers begin to pay attention to learners? burnout, which originates from a psychological concept. Also individual factors in learning process aroused attention, so students? personality traits are taken into consideration.This research mainly considers two emotional factors – burnout and personality traits in foreign language learning. All the subjects are English majors from the North University of China, including 57 freshmen and 43 juniors. First, their situation of FLLB is analyzed through FLLBI. The results indicate that all of them have the sort of burnout; with the grade increasing, female students? of burnout will be stronger, while male students? burnout may decline. Second, the personality traits are described through the Big Five Personality Inventory(NEO-FFI), it turns out that boys? emotional stability is better than girls, which reflects that boys perform better than girls in the face of pressure and emergencies; girls? extraversion level is higher than boys?, indicating girls are more active, cheerful than boys. Comparing freshmen with juniors, it shows that their conscientiousness scores and extraversion scores increase with their grade. That means juniors? emotional stability is better and they are more active. Third, the relationship between personality traits and FLLB is conducted through Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and canonical correlation analysis.Pearson correlation analysis presents that extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness correlate with FLLB negatively. Neurotic correlates with FLLB positively. Neurotic correlates with exhaustion, cynicism and depersonalization positively. Extraversion and openness correlate with cynicism and depersonalization negatively. Agreeableness correlates with cynicism negatively. Conscientiousness correlates with exhaustion, cynicism and depersonalization negatively.Multiple regression analysis and canonical correlation analysis demonstrate that cynicism can be predicted by two personality traits, they are openness and conscientiousness. That means the scores of openness and conscientiousness are higher, their degree of cynicism will decline.Interview shows that high-score achievers think that their personality traits have an effect on their English learning, and their attitude towards English is active, while low-score achievers think that their personality traits may influence their English learning, and they are not very interested in English, but they think that it is difficult to change their personality. All of them are not confident with their English. Another important finding is that all the students feel that teachers seldom pay attention to their personality.Based on these results, it can be inferred that learners? personality traits may affect their FLLB. Some pedagogical implications and suggestions are also provided in this study. First, teachers should know and help students to be aware of their personality traits and the effects on burnout. Second, teachers should combine personality traits with their teaching methods. Third, learners themselves should also be sensitive to their personality traits and the effect on FLLB.