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Positive Psychology and Second Language Motivation: Empirically Validating a Model of Positive L2 Self

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Positive Psychology and Second Language Motivation: Empirically Validating a Model of Positive L2 Self POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND SECOND LANGUAGE MOTIVATION: EMPIRICALLY VALIDATING A MODEL OF POSITIVE L2 SELF A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education By J. Lake December, 2015 Examining Committee Members Mark Sawyer, Advisory Chair, Kwansei Gakuin University David Beglar, Teaching and Learning Tamara Swenson, External Member, Osaka Jo Gakuin University Yoko Kozaki, External Member, Mukogawa Women’s University James Elwood, External Member, Meiji University © Copyright 2015 by J. Lake ii ABSTRACT Positive psychology is rapidly developing as a field in psychology. Many constructs associated with positive psychology have been developed but relationships have not been demonstrated to second language (L2) learning or L2 learning motivation. The main purpose of this study was to explore empirically some core constructs of positive psychology and L2 learning motivation by testing a structural model of the causal relationships among levels of self-concept, and L2 proficiency. In order to do that, it was first necessary to validate measureable components of each of the levels. The self-concept constructs were: a global positive self-concept, a domain-specific positive L2 self, and L2 skill specific self- efficacy. The various self-constructs were organized into finer levels of specificity, from the global to L2 domain to L2 domain skills. A structural model was created from three latent variables that were in turn created from measured variables at each level of specificity. For the latent positive self-concept the measured variables consisted of flourishing, hope, and curiosity. For the latent variable of positive L2 self the measured variables consisted of an interested-in-L2 self, passion-for-L2-learning self, and L2 mastery goal orientation. For the latent motivational variable of L2 self-efficacy the measured variables were L2 speaking self-efficacy, L2 listening self-efficacy, and L2 reading self-efficacy. The measured variables were based on adapted or newly created self-reports. To demonstrate that the model holds beyond self-reports, objective L2 proficiency measures were also modeled with the latent variables of positive self- iii concept and positive L2 self. To demonstrate the generalizability of the self-model with L2 proficiency, a cross-validation study was done with two different objective measures of L2 proficiency, TOEIC and TOEIC Bridge. The results for the study were all positive for the creation of composite variables and fit to causal models. Latent variables were created for a composite positive self-concept, a composite positive L2 self, and a composite L2 motivation variable. The positive self-concept and positive L2 self also fit a model that included an objective measure of L2 proficiency. Finally, structural equation modeling confirmed causal relationships among positive self-concept, positive L2 self with both L2 motivation and with L2 proficiency. This study showed how constructs from the rapidly expanding field of positive psychology can be integrated with second language motivation. This study showed one way positive psychology can be applied to second language learning and suggests that positive psychology might invigorate future L2 motivation studies. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research and writing of this dissertation took many years to complete. This dissertation also reflects the knowledge that I gained in the courses for the Temple University doctoral program. I am grateful for all help, support, and encouragement that I received over the years. I would like to thank my dissertation committee, Mark Sawyer, David Beglar, Tamara Swenson, Yoko Kozaki, and James Elwood, for their many suggestions and detailed feedback. I wish to especially thank Mark Sawyer who has spend countless hours and effort over several years in providing me feedback and steering me through the dissertation process to completion. I appreciate what I have learned from fellow students I have studied with at Temple in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. I would especially like to thank Brad Visgatis, Matt Apple, Peter Neff, Lance Burrows, Harumi Kimura, Tsuyuki Miura, Keita Kikuchi, Noriko Lake, Paul Westrick, John Eidswick, and Andrew Obermeier. Brad Visgatis was especially encouraging during the final drafts of the dissertation and helped me through a lot of confusion. I learned much from the classes I took at Temple and they have done much in shaping what I know that went into the dissertation. Especially, as related to my dissertation, I would like to thank: Mark Sawyer for his classes on educational psychology, David Beglar for his classes on quantitative research, and J. D. Brown for his classes on quantitative research. In relation to my dissertation, I also benefited from classes or seminars with: Ken Schaefer, Steve Ross, Peter v MacIntyre, George Engelhard, Tim McNamera, Trevor Bond, Nick Ellis, Lyle Bachman, Zoltan Dörnyei, Jim Purpura, Marshall Childs, and Rod Ellis. Friends and colleagues have also contributed towards my thinking in regards to my dissertation. I am thankful for discussions, moral support, and friendships with: Trevor Holster, Bill Pellowe, Kathleen Brown, Toshi Shiotsu, Rie Koizumi, Yo In’nami, Keiichi Minamikawa, Chris Chase, Quint Oga-Baldwin, Lexie Don, Darcy Delint, Mike Rogers, Neil McClelland, Dexter Da Silva, Robert Murphy, Curtis Kelly, Yuki Arita, and Jim Sick. I would also like to say a special thanks to Mike Linacre for answering some of my questions about Rasch analysis. Thanks are due to my colleagues and student participants. Colleagues I wish to thank for discussions or help with data collection include: Art Nakano, Alan Williams, Phee Nugent, Mayumi Kido, Chiaki Hayashi, Jenifer Larson-Hall, August McInnis, and Jack Brajcich. I would like to thank my family for all their love and support over the years. To my mom Tsutako, and dad David thanks for your love, support, and encouragement. My deepest thanks go to my wife, Noriko, I could not have done this dissertation without her support. She also was a great help with the Japanese portions of my study and constantly gave me helpful advice. My two daughters, Sara and Emma have always had a dad in graduate school and helped propel him along with love, laughter, and purpose. Thank you! vi DEDICATION Dedicated to my family, Noriko, Sara, and Emma. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................... v DEDICATION ......................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. xiii LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. xxiii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 The Background of the Issue ......................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................... 5 Purposes and Significance for the Study ........................................................ 7 Theoretical Perspective ................................................................................ 10 The Audience of the Study ........................................................................... 13 Delimitations ................................................................................................ 14 Organization of the Study ............................................................................ 15 Key Terminology ......................................................................................... 16 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..................................................................... 18 Japan’s Educational Environment ................................................................ 19 Positive Psychology ..................................................................................... 20 Positive Self-Concept ................................................................................... 22 Positive Self Model Constructs .................................................................... 25 viii Flourishing ......................................................................................... 25 Curiosity ............................................................................................ 27 Hope ................................................................................................... 29 Positive Self Instrument Validation Constructs ........................................... 30 Self-Esteem ........................................................................................ 30 Satisfaction with Life ......................................................................... 33 Positive Affect ................................................................................... 34 Negative Affect .................................................................................. 36 Subjective Happiness ......................................................................... 38 Positive Social Relationships ............................................................. 39 Grit ....................................................................................................
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