A Study on the Effect of English Majors’ Emotional Intelligence on Willingness to Communicate in Second Language : The Mediating Effects of Foreign Language Enjoyment and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

English as a foreign language has become a cornerstone of education in China, playing an important role in elementary, secondary and higher education. Despite the high emphasis placed on language proficiency, many students still face challenges in effective communication skills. Traditional teaching methods of English focus mainly on cognitive elements such as grammar and vocabulary, neglecting the emotional factors of the students' learning process. In the context of globalization, the cultivation of intercultural communication skills has become an important goal of foreign language teaching. However, among Chinese English majors, many students lack initiative and self-confidence in actual language use and show low willingness to communicate, even though they have good language knowledge accumulation. This low willingness to communicate is closely related to the emotional experiences that students face in the foreign language learning process. Emotional intelligence, as an individual's ability to perceive and regulate emotions, is considered to be an important factor affecting the effectiveness of language learning. Meanwhile, foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety, as emotional variables, play an important role in students' language communication process. Foreign language enjoyment can stimulate students' interest in learning, while foreign language classroom anxiety may inhibit their language expression ability. Based on this, this study was conducted among 1,039 English majors from six comprehensive universities in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. It aimed to address three research questions. First, it investigated the current levels of emotional intelligence, foreign language enjoyment, foreign language classroom anxiety and willingness to communicate in second language among English majors. Second, it examined the relationships between these key variables. Finally, it analyzed the mediating roles of foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety in the relationship between emotional intelligence and willingness to communicate in second language. A quantitative research design was adopted, with participants completing a composite questionnaire measuring emotional intelligence, foreign language enjoyment, foreign language classroom anxiety and willingness to communicate in second language. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0. SPSS was used for reliability and validity tests, Pearson correlation analysis and ANOVA to explore relationships and group differences. Amos was used for direct effect and mediation effect analyses. The results confirmed the reliability and validity of the scales used for each variable. Descriptive statistical analysis indicated that among the sampled English majors, the levels of emotional intelligence, foreign language enjoyment and willingness to communicate in second language are moderately low. These variables exhibit distributions consistent with normality. In contrast, foreign language classroom anxiety demonstrates higher levels of anxiety, suggesting that English majors experience significant apprehension in classroom settings. Significant relationships were identified among all key variables. Specifically, emotional intelligence positively influenced foreign language enjoyment and willingness to communicate in second language, while it negatively impacted foreign language classroom anxiety. Similarly, foreign language enjoyment had a positive influence on willingness to communicate in second language, whereas foreign language classroom anxiety had a negative impact. Additionally, the findings revealed that foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety play significant mediating roles in the relationship between emotional intelligence and willingness to communicate in second language. This study enriches the understanding of the relationship between emotional intelligence and willingness to communicate in second language by highlighting the mediating roles of foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety. It introduced an integrative model encompassing emotional intelligence, foreign language enjoyment, foreign language classroom anxiety and willingness to communicate in second language, offering a valuable framework for future research. The findings emphasize that enhancing emotional intelligence, fostering foreign language enjoyment and alleviating foreign language classroom anxiety are crucial for improving students' willingness to communicate in second language. These results provide actionable pedagogical insights, highlighting the importance of addressing both emotional and cognitive dimensions to create a more engaging and communicative learning environment. By extending the application of emotional variables in language learning, this study provides new perspectives on their effects on willingness to communicate in second language and lays a practical foundation for optimizing students' communication abilities and overall language learning success. Keywords: Emotional intelligence, foreign language enjoyment, foreign language classroom anxiety, willingness to communicate in second language, English majors

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. Introduction 1
• 1. Research Background and Research Necessity 1
• 2. Research Purpose and Research Questions5
• Ⅱ. Theoretical Background 6
• 1. The Current Situation of English Major in China 6
• 1) English Major Education 6
• 2) English Major Curriculum System 9
• 3）English Majors' Willingness to Communicate 11
• 4）English Majors' Emotional Characteristics 13
• 2. Emotional Intelligence 16
• 1) Concepts16
• 2) Models 18
• 3) Measures24
• 3. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety31
• 1) Concepts31
• 2) Relevant Theories 33
• 3) Measures 35
• 4. Foreign Language Enjoyment 38
• 1) Concepts 38
• 2) Relevant Theories 41
• 3) Measures45
• 5. Willingness to Communicate in Second Language 48
• 1) Concepts 48
• 2) Models 50
• 3) Measures56
• 6. Relationships Between the Main Variables 58
• 1) Emotional Intelligence and Willingness to Communicate in
• Second Language 58
• 2) Emotional Intelligence and Foreign Language Classroom
• Anxiety or Foreign Language Enjoyment 60
• 3) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and Willingness to
• Communicate in Second Language 63
• 4) Foreign Language Enjoyment and Willingness to Communicate
• in Second Language 65
• III. Research Methods68
• 1. Research Model and Research Hypotheses 68
• 2. Research Participants and Data Collection 69
• 1) Participants 70
• 2) Data Collection71
• 3. Research Tools 72
• 1) Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form
• (TEIQue-SF) 73
• 2) Chinese Version of Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale
• (CFLES) 78
• 3) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)82
• 4) Willingness to Communicate in English Scale (WTCS) 87
• 4. Data Analysis91
• 5. Research Procedure92
• Ⅳ. Results94
• 1. Descriptive Statistics 94
• 2. Difference Analysis 96
• 3. Correlation Analysis 103
• 4. Model Analysis 107
• 1) Measurement Model Analysis 107
• 2）Structural Equation Modeling Analysis110
• 3) Mediation Effects114
• 5. Summary of Hypothesis Testing Results 115
• V. Conclusion116
• 1. Conclusion and Discussion116
• 1) Descriptive Statistics of the Key Variables 116
• 2) Direct Effects 119
• 3) The Mediating Effects 122
• xiii
• 2. Limitations and Implications 125
• 1) Limitations 125
• 2) Implications126
• References128
• Appendices 151
• 국문초록 160