Language Learning ISSN 0023-8333

Age-Related Differences in the Motivation

of Learning English as a Foreign Language:
Attitudes, Selves, and Motivated
Learning Behavior
Judit Kormos
Lancaster University

Kata Csizer
Eotvos Lorand University

Our study describes the motivation for learning English as a foreign language in three
distinct learner populations: secondary school pupils, university students, and adult
language learners. Questionnaire data were collected from 623 Hungarian students. The
main factors affecting students second language (L2) motivation were language learning
attitudes and the Ideal L2 self, which provides empirical support for the main construct
of the theory of the L2 Motivational Self-System (Dornyei, 2005). Models of motivated
behavior varied across the three investigated learner groups. For the secondary school
pupils, it was interest in English-language cultural products that affected their motivated
behavior, whereas international posture as an important predictive variable was only
present in the two older age groups.

Keywords L2 motivational self system; L2 motivation; motivated learning; language

attitudes; age; selves

The research presented in this article was completed as part of the T047111 project of the Hun-
garian Academy of Sciences Research Funds (OTKA). We thank Stephen Ryan for making the
questionnaire available to us and Zoltan Dornyei for his comments on an earlier version of this
article. We are grateful to Eva Barta, Klara Bereczky, Judit Borbely, Mariann Dolgos, Myrtil Foris,
Szilvia Hegyi, Denes Neumayer, Ildiko Kaldosne Szendroi, Julia Lang, Monika Sapi, Judit Sarvari,
Monika Victor, and Katalin Zoldi as well as to the Babilon and Tudomany Language School for
helping us administer the questionnaires.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Kata Csizer, Department of
English Applied Linguistics, Eotvos Lorand University, 5 Rakoczi ut, Budapest, Hungary. Internet:
[email protected]

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C 2008 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan
Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

Second and foreign language motivation has been researched in different

paradigms and numerous language learning contexts in the past decades (for a
recent overview, see Dornyei, 2005). In most projects conducted until recently,
researchers usually intended to find out how one could best describe the second
language (L2) motivation of a given group of students (e.g., the attitudinal
and motivational dispositions of young Hungarian learners; Dornyei, Csizer, &
Nemeth, 2006) and validate and/or describe the workings and usefulness of a
given theoretical concept (e.g., the role of integrativeness, see Gardner, 1985,
2001; the investigation of self-determination theory, see Noels, 2001; or attribu-
tion theory, see Ushioda, 1996, 1998, 2001). Recent work on motivation theory
includes the process model of motivation devised by Dornyei (Dornyei, 2000,
2001a; Dornyei & Otto, 1998), which accounts for the dynamic and temporally
changing nature of L2 motivation (for empirical studies, see Chambers, 1999;
Shoaib & Dornyei, 2005; Ushioda, 2001; Williams, Burden, & Lanvers, 2002)
and Dornyeis (2005) theory of the motivational self-system. This theory tries
to answer the challenge that the changing world of the 21st century poses for
the Gardnerian concept of integrativeness (Gardner, 1985, 2001), the notion
of the native speaker (Widdowson, 1993), and learners identification with na-
tive speakers (Lamb, 2004; Warden & Lin, 2000; Yashima, 2000). Dornyeis
theory of the motivational self-system is based on the psychological theory
of self-discrepancy (Higgins, 1987) and integrates important concepts such as
learning experiences and intrinsic and extrinsic language learning goals previ-
ously identified in the L2 field by Ushioda (2001) and Noels (2003). Dornyeis
theory has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of L2 motivation
in a wide range of learning contexts, but it has not been empirically tested yet.
Most of the research just cited highlights how learners personal histo-
ries might change their views of L2 motivation and their motivated learning
behavior, but little attention has been paid to the systematic investigation of
age-related variations concerning attitudinal and motivational dispositions of
language learners within a single-language environment. Studies involving non-
language major university students are rare (see, e.g., Masgoret & Gardner,
2003), and to our knowledge, the motivation of adult language learners has
not been investigated in large-scale quantitative research yet. In many parts of
the world, especially in countries in which foreign languages were not taught
appropriately in school in the 1970s and 1980s, adults constitute an important
language learner population, and most language teachers who work both in
the public and private language teaching sectors would attest that adults and
adolescents require different motivational strategies.

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

The aim of the investigation presented in this article is twofold. First, we

explore possible differences among three distinct learner groups who study
English in a single context, Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. Using the
same measurement scales, we compare how the motivational and attitudinal dis-
positions of secondary school pupils, university students, and adult language
learners differ. Second, we also intend to test empirically the two main con-
structs of Dornyeis motivational self-system: the Ideal L2 Self and the Ought-
to L2 Self and explore the relationship of these two key variables with the
traditional motivational and attitudinal dimensions such as integrativeness and
instrumentality.
In the present article we first provide a theoretical background to our study,
followed by the description of the data collection procedures. Next, we describe
what latent dimensions emerge concerning the motivational and attitudinal dis-
positions of learners of various ages and what the relationships among these di-
mensions are. Finally, we report how and to what extent these latent dimensions
influence students motivated learning behavior in the various age groups.

Review of Literature
The notion of integrative motivation, which was traditionally a key construct in
L2 motivation research, was introduced by Robert Gardner and Wallace Lam-
bert (1959, 1972). Integrative motivation became a pivotal part of Gardners
motivation theory, but as Gardner (2001) pointed out, it has slightly different
meanings to many different individuals (p. 1). The concept of integrative moti-
vation implies varied psychological and emotional identification either with the
language community (Gardner, 2001) or, if no salient L2 community is present
in the immediate learning environment, identification with values associated
with the L2 community and the language or identification with the language it-
self (Dornyei, 1990). In Gardners theory integrative orientation, integrativeness
and the integrative motive are differentiated. In Gardners terminology, orien-
tations are the reasons behind learning an L2; more precisely, they represent
ultimate goals for achieving the more immediate goal of learning the second
language (Gardner, 1985, p. 11). Gardner (1985, 2001) defined integrativeness
as a latent construct made up of the following variables: interest in foreign lan-
guages, integrative orientation, and attitudes toward the learning situation. The
integrative motive is composed of attitudinal, goal-directed, and motivational
variables. It subsumes integrativeness (as defined earlier), attitudes toward the
learning situation (evaluation of the L2 teacher and course), and motivation,

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

which is also frequently referred to as motivated learning behavior. According

to Gardner (1985, 2001), motivated learning behavior is assumed to be com-
prised of (a) the desire to learn the L2, (b) motivational intensity (or effort),
and (c) attitudes toward learning the L2. In other studies, the definition of mo-
tivated learning behavior might vary slightly; for example, in Dornyei et al.s
(2006) research, motivated learning behavior was operationalized as (a) effort
and (b) the intended choice of learning the given language. In a wide range of
projects in a variety of learning environments, integrativeness has been found
to be an important variable in predicting motivated behavior and, ultimately,
success in language learning (e.g., Clement, Dornyei, & Noels, 1994; Dornyei,
1990; Shaaban & Ghaith, 2000; Wen, 1997). This concept has occupied a cen-
tral role in most models of L2 motivation proposed in the last 40 years (e.g.,
Clement, 1980; Dornyei, 1994; MacIntyre, Clement, Dornyei, & Noels, 1998;
Schumann, 1986).
Recently, the Gardnerian construct of integrativeness has come under seri-
ous attack. The main reason for problems with integrativeness is that in the 21st
century a high number of students learn an L2 in a foreign language setting with
the purpose of being able to communicate with other nonnative speakers in an
international environment. This is especially true in the case of English, which
has become an international language serving as a lingua franca in a globalized
world (e.g., Crystal, 2003; Widdowson, 1993). Therefore, the English language
has become separated from its native speakers and their cultures (Skutnabb-
Kangas, 2000). In a recent article, Sifakis (2004) even argued for using the
term English as an Intercultural Language instead of English as an Interna-
tional Language, which would express that, in our days, English is most often
used in intercultural encounters. Integrativeness in the sense as defined by Gard-
ner involves the language learners identification with native speakers of the
L2, but for a large number of learners of a variety of languages such as English,
German, French, and Spanish, integrativeness has no relevance in todays world.
Therefore, it seems to be more appropriate to talk about some kind of cos-
mopolitan identity or international posture (Yashima, 2002), which includes
interest in foreign or international affairs, willingness to go overseas to study or
work, readiness to interact with intercultural partners . . . and a non-ethnocentric
attitude toward different cultures (p. 57). The lack of identification with native
speakers of English as a significant motivating factor was demonstrated in a
number of studies in a variety of settings (e.g., Lamb, 2004; Warden & Lin,
2000; Yashima, 2000). It was also shown that in the case of English, it is very
difficult to distinguish instrumentality (i.e., the utilitarian benefits associated
with the knowledge of the language, from integrativeness; Kimura, Nakata,

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

& Okumura, 2001; Lamb). As Lamb argued, meeting with westerners, using
pop-songs, studying and traveling abroad, pursuing a desirable careerall these
aspirations are associated with each other (p. 15).
To summarize, motivation research in the 21st century has to face two chal-
lenges. First, the traditional concept of integrativeness, as proposed in the work
of Gardner (2001), involves identification with the L2 speaking community. In
our globalized world, however, there is no salient L2 community to identify
with in the case of English; moreover, for a high number of learners, especially
in a foreign language setting, identification with native speakers does not seem
to be a relevant motivating factor. Second, as a consequence of English be-
coming a world language, the pragmatic benefits deriving from being able to
speak this language and the attitudes to the Word English community have
become intricately linked, which has rendered the separation of integrative-
ness and instrumentality problematic. In an attempt to answer these challenges,
Dornyei (2005) and Csizer and Dornyei (2005) proposed the model of the L2
motivational self-system, which consists of three main components: Ideal L2
Self, Ought-to L2 Self, and L2 Learning Experience. In this model, integra-
tiveness is included in the construct of the Ideal L2 Self, which is ones ideal
self-image expressing the wish to become a competent L2 speaker. The Ought-
to L2 Self contains attributes that one believes one ought to possess (i.e.,
various duties, obligations, or responsibilities) in order to avoid possible neg-
ative outcomes (Dornyei, p. 106). L2 Learning Experience covers situation-
specific motives related to the immediate learning environment and experience
(Dornyei, p. 106). The model of the L2 motivational self-system is based on
Higginss (1987) self-discrepancy theory, in which it is argued that motivation
is the result of someones wish to reduce the discrepancy between ones ideal
self (i.e., ones image of what one would like to become) and ones actual self
(i.e., ones actual self-state). Motivation also comes about from the intention
to lessen the gap between ones actual self and ones ought-to-self (i.e., ones
perception of what significant others would like one to become). We should
also note that Dornyeis theory is also based on the realization that one feels
like a different person when speaking a second language and often indeed acts
very differently as well (Guiora & Acton, 1979, p. 199), which was embodied
in the concept of language ego in Guiora, Beit-Hallahmi, Brannon, Dull, and
Scovels (1972) study more than 30 years ago.
In Dornyeis (2005) model, the Ideal L2 Self represents ones view of oneself
as a competent L2 speaker. Because the closest parallels to the idealized L2 self
are the L2 speakers themselves, the Ideal L2 Self subsumes integrativeness.
Dornyei argues that

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Our idealized L2-speaking self can be seen as a member of an imagined

L2 community whose mental construction is partly based on our real-life
experiences of members of the community/communities speaking the
particular L2 in question and partly on our imagination (p. 102).
As this quote also illustrates, Dornyei tried to answer recent challenges to the
notion of integrativeness by proposing that instead of an existing native-speaker
community, students regard an imagined cosmopolitan community of interna-
tional L2 speakers as a group of which they intend to become a member. This
conceptualization overcomes the problem of the lack of a clearly identifiable
native L2 speaker community and the decreased relevance of identification with
L2 speakers for a large group of learners of a variety of languages.
Dornyeis Ideal L2 Self also includes certain instrumental motives. Gardner
(1985) conceptualized instrumental motivation as the utilitarian gains associ-
ated with the mastery of the L2 (better jobs and/or a higher salary). Noels (2003),
however, proposed that perceived benefits can be both intrinsic (i.e., internal-
ized by the students) and extrinsic (i.e., might be regarded as important only
by the learners environment). Drawing on Noelss (2003) work, Dornyei
(2005) also argued that internalized instrumental motives are part of the stu-
dents Ideal L2-Self, whereas those instrumental values that are generated
by a sense of duty or a fear of punishment (p. 103) belong to the Ought-to
L2 Self.
Although the importance of self-concept and identification in L2 motivation
research seems to be evident, Dornyeis (2005) model needs further elaboration
and empirical testing. First, as pointed out by Higgins (1999), the attributes
of self-discrepancies greatly influence both emotions and motivation, but in
his model, Dornyei does not discuss how the various L2 self-concepts might
contribute to motivated behavior. It is also debatable whether the Ideal L2 Self is
able to replace integrativeness, as Dornyeis construct primarily expressed ones
image of a successful and competent L2 speaker and only indirectly includes
attitudes to other L2 speakers and an identification element. The relationship
of instrumentality and Ought-to L2 Self is also somewhat ambiguous in the
model, as Dornyei argued that internalized instrumental motives might be part
of the Ideal L2 Self, whereas extrinsic instrumental incentives are incorporated
into ones Ought-to L2 self. The question is whether it is possible to separate
intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of instrumentality.
In our research, we submitted Dornyeis (2005) model of the L2 motiva-
tional self-system to empirical testing on three different populations of learn-
ers of English in a foreign language setting. First, we performed principal

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

component analyses and reliability analyses to investigate whether the Ideal L2

Self, Ought-to L2 Self, and International Posture can be identified as separate
and meaningful constructs in these three groups of Hungarian learners. Next,
we were interested in the relationship of the Ideal L2 Self and Ought-to L2 Self
with key traditional constructs of motivation: integrativeness, instrumentality,
and motivated behavior. Finally, we investigated how the motivational variables
predict motivated behavior in the three subsamples.

Method
Participants
Our research is a cross-sectional study that investigated three different cohorts
of language learners from Budapest, the capital of Hungary, at a particular
point of time. Budapest is the largest city in the country, where one fifth of
the total Hungarian population resides. Budapest is in many respects similar to
major metropolitan cities in Europe, with the exception that in Hungary most
of the population is monolingual: According to the 2000 census, 92.3% of the
Hungarian population claimed to be ethnic Hungarian and the proportion with
Hungarian as their mother tongue was even higher (98.2%; Central Statistical
Office, 2004).
We selected three language learner populations that have not yet been ex-
tensively studied in the Hungarian context: secondary school and university
students and adult language learners. In selecting students from these groups
we used criterion sampling. As for secondary school students, we included
three schools that fell into the range of institutions with an average quality of
teaching and average student population based on the rank order of schools in
terms of the number of students admitted to a university (Orszagos Kozoktatasi
Intezet, 2004). Two of the schools were state schools, and in order to represent
learners from the private sector of education, we also selected a church-owned
school. The three schools were from different geographical locations in the
city in order to represent students from various social backgrounds. All of the
students in the second and third year studying English were asked to fill in the
questionnaires. In total, 202 learners, 80 male and 122 female, responded to our
questions in the secondary school sample. The average age of students was 16.5
years. Studying at least one foreign language is compulsory all through primary
and secondary education. English is not a compulsory language in Hungarian
secondary schools, but it is the most frequently studied language (Halasz & Lan-
nert, 2007). When enrolling in a secondary school, students can choose which
foreign language they would like to study. According to the participants self-
reports and information from the students teachers, the level of students

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Table 1 Distribution of university and college students according to fields of study

N %

Economics 66 28.5
Humanities 20 8.7
Natural sciences 27 11.7
Law 17 7.4
Engineering 30 13.0
Medicine 29 12.6
Tourism and catering 42 18.1

proficiency in the investigated sample was between A2 and B1 on the scale of the
Common European Framework of Reference (CEF) (Council of Europe, 2001).
In selecting the university students, we paid attention to representing the
various fields of study one can pursue in Budapest and to including learners both
from colleges and universities (see Table 1). In total, 230 learners of English, 92
college students and 138 university students, responded to our questions. The
students average age was 21.5 years, and 157 of them were female and 72 male
(for two learners the gender data were missing). Studying foreign languages is
voluntary at universities, and students are required to pay for foreign language
instruction. Students in tertiary education, however, need to hold intermediate-
level and elementary-level language certificates in order to be able to graduate.
Therefore, most students in the sample were preparing for one of the accredited
intermediate-level proficiency exams (B2 level of the CEF scale).
Adult language school learners consisted of two main groups: students tak-
ing company courses and students enrolled in a language school. Sixty-four of
the adult participants attended a language course organized by their companies,
two of which were private enterprises and one was a state-owned company.
In choosing the language schools, eight of the largest language schools in Bu-
dapest were approached to allow their students to fill in our questionnaires. Five
schools responded positively to our request, from which 127 students answered
our questions. These schools are well-established and high-quality language
schools that have won accreditation from the Hungarian Chamber of Language
Schools. Among the adult participants, 67 were male and 124 were female, and
their average age was 33.7 years. The participants worked in all spheres of life,
including business, industry, tourism, health care, education, and services. Their
jobs were widely varied, ranging from housewife to bank manager. According
to the students self-reports and their results on the placement test adminis-
tered by the language school, adult language learners proficiency ranged from

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

preintermediate to advanced levels (A2C1 on the CEF scale). Most of the

participants enrolled in the language course voluntarily, both in the language
schools and in the company courses.
Materials
Our questionnaire contained 76 questions for secondary school and university
students and 72 questions for adult learners. The questions aimed to measure
the most important factors in L2 learning motivation that were identified in
previous research, and the instrument included three new variables that have
not yet been empirically tested in survey studies: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2
Self, and International Posture.
For questions 120, participants had to indicate on a 5-point scale to what
extent they agree or disagree with statements. These questions intended to cover
the following four variables:
1. Integrativeness (three questions): language learners attitude to L2 speakers
and their cultures. Example: How much would you like to become similar
to the people who speak English?
2. Instrumentality (four questions): utilitarian benefits associated with being
able to speak the L2 such as higher salary, better jobs. Example: How much
do you think knowing English would help your future career?
3. Cultural interest (four questions): attitudes to L2 cultural products (films,
TV programs, magazines, pop music). Questions relating to both British
and American cultural products were asked, as both are widely available for
Hungarian students through various forms of media. Example: How much
do you like the films made in the United States?
4. Vitality of the L2 community (four questions): students views concerning
the role of the United States and the United Kingdom in todays world and
the wealth of these countries. Example: How important a role do you think
the United Kingdom plays in the world?
Questions 2169 had to be answered on a 5-point Likertv scale where stu-
dents had to mark to what extent the statements characterized them. These
questions measured the following constructs:
5. Linguistic self-confidence (three questions): students views on how easily
and successfully they will be able to acquire English. Example: I am sure
I will be able to learn a foreign language well.
6. Language use anxiety (three questions): the level of anxiety felt when stu-
dents use English in everyday life. Example: I would feel uneasy speaking
English with a native speaker.

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

7. Classroom anxiety (three questions): the level of anxiety felt in language

classes. Example: It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in our English
class.
8. Milieu (four questions): the attitude of people in the students immediate en-
vironment concerning the importance of learning English. Example: People
around me tend to think that it is a good thing to know foreign languages.
9. Parental encouragement (four questions): the extent to which parents en-
courage their children to study English. Example: My parents really encour-
age me to study English. This scale was not included in the questionnaire
for adults.
10. Language learning attitudes (four questions): the extent to which students
like learning English. Example: I really enjoy learning English.
11. International posture (four questions): students attitudes about English
as an international language. Example: Studying English will help me to
understand people from all over the world.
12. Ideal L2 Self (seven questions): students views of themselves as successful
L2 speakers. Example: I like to think of myself as someone who will be
able to speak English.
13. Ought-to L2 Self (six questions): students perceptions of the various lan-
guage learning related duties and obligations that are set by their immediate
environment. Example: If I fail to learn English, Ill be letting other people
down.
14. Motivated learning behavior (nine questions): students efforts and persis-
tence in learning English. Example: I am willing to work hard at learning
English.

In the last part of the questionnaire, we asked students background questions

concerning what languages they would like to study in the future, when they
started learning English, whether they were studying any other foreign language,
what their age and gender was, where and what they were studying (in the case
of university students), and what their job was (in the case of adults). The
questions were adapted from two sources: a previous motivation questionnaire
used by Dornyei and Csizer in a variety of Hungarian research projects (for an
overview, see Dornyei et al., 2006) and from a newly developed questionnaire
by Ryan (2005).
Procedures
The English version of the questionnaire was first piloted by Ryan (2005).
Galik (2006) translated the questionnaire and piloted it by asking two secondary
school students to think aloud while completing it. Potentially problematic items

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

were reworded, and the instrument was administered to 111 secondary school
students (Galik). Following the factor and reliability analysis of this pilot run,
we omitted or reworded unreliable items.
The final version of the questionnaire was mailed or personally delivered
to the secondary schools, universities, colleges, and language schools, where a
person who agreed to take charge of the administration of the questionnaires
distributed them among teachers and collected the completed questionnaires.
All of the questionnaires were computer coded and SPSS (Statistical Pack-
age for Social Sciences) 13.0 was used for analyzing the data. Because the
data were normally distributed, we applied parametric procedures. The level of
significance was set for p < .05, and where necessary, we used the Bonferroni
correction procedure.

Results
The Main Dimensions of Analysis
In order to identify broader dimensions underlying the attitudinal/motivational
variables measured by the questionnaire, we submitted the items belonging to
the specific scales to principal component analysis (conducting separate analy-
ses for each age group). The statistical characteristics of the various factors in
the different subsamples were similar and sufficient to conclude that except for
the scale of integrativeness, Hungarian language learners within the three age
groups could be described with the same latent dimensions concerning their mo-
tivational dispositions. Next, based on the outcome of the principle component
analysis, the items were divided into several multi-item scales, and the Cronbach
Alpha internal consistency reliability coefficients were computed (Table 2).
As the list of variables in Table 3 indicates, some latent dimensions used in
earlier Hungarian studies (e.g., Dornyei et al., 2006) had to be excluded from
the analysis because only two items loaded onto them, and the brevity of these
scales did not seem to be justifiable. One of these factors was the vitality of
different English speaking communities, and the other travel orientation, which
emerged as a factor in analyzing the scale that originally intended to measure
instrumentality. The other factor that could not be adequately described with
the items of our questionnaire was linguistic self-confidence. Even though this
variable played an important role in previous studies conducted with young
schoolchildren in Hungary (Clement et al., 1994; Csizer & Dornyei, 2005) and
in Canada (Clement & Kruidenier, 1985), we had to exclude it from the analysis.
The reason for this might have been the low number of items originally intended
to measure this construct and its partial overlap with language use anxiety. We
were surprised to find that in our survey instrumentality could not be adequately

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Table 2 Reliability coefficients in the three subsamples for the scales included in further
analyses

Secondary University Adult language

Scales school students students learners

Integrativeness .64 .51 .38

Ideal L2 Self .83 .75 .85
Classroom anxiety .87 .87 .87
Language use anxiety .80 .86 .83
Knowledge orientation .77 .81 .80
Cultural interest .65 .74 .78
International posture .73 .63 .65
Milieu .61 .67 .54
Language learning .87 .85 .85
Parental encouragement .86 .89 Not measured
Motivated learning behavior .82 .81 .81

Table 3 Reliability coefficients in the three subsamples for the scales excluded from
further analyses

Secondary University Adult language

Scales school students students learners

Ought-to L2 Self .31 .33 .33

Instrumentality .56 .42 .42
Vitality UK (2 items) .43 .53 .63
Vitality US (2 items) .63 .49 .62
Linguistic self-confidence .04 .04 .01
Tourism (2 items) .55 .44 .43

identified as one single factor. Instrumentality was found to consist of two latent
dimensions: knowledge orientation (i.e., learners wish to enhance their general
knowledge about the world through mastering a foreign language) and travel
orientation, which expresses the desire to learn English for the purpose of using
it when traveling abroad. As just mentioned, this latter factor had to be excluded,
due to the fact that only two items out of the originally intended four constituted
the scale. Another related factor, the existence of which was not supported by
our data, is the Ought-to L2 Self, as the items supposedly covering the Ought-to
L2 Self dimension in fact loaded onto two latent dimensions, with some items
seemingly belonging to both factors.
On the other hand, among the adequate measurement scales we can find
the cornerstone of Dornyeis (2005) new motivational construct, Ideal L2 Self,

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

which emerged as a distinct latent dimension, although some items had to be

dropped from the scale in order to gain a higher reliability coefficient. Three
important dimensions that formed an integral part of L2 motivation in Dornyei
et al.s (2006) study could be identified in our research: integrativeness, milieu,
and cultural interest. Integrativeness had unexpectedly low reliability for the
adult sample; therefore, we did not include this scale when analyzing the mo-
tivational characteristics of adults. Additional factors that were hypothesized
to play an important role in L2 motivation but were not included in previous
Hungarian studies were language learning attitudes, classroom and language
use anxiety (e.g., Gardner & MacIntyre, 1993; Gardner, Tremblay, & Masgoret,
1997; Tremblay & Gardner, 1995), parental encouragement (e.g., Williams &
Burden, 1997), and international posture (Yashima, 2002), which could be ade-
quately measured with our instruments and were thus used in further analyses.

Comparative Analysis of the Motivational Scales

Table 4 presents descriptive statistics of the scales within the three subsamples
and the comparison of three age groups scores with the help of a one-way
analysis of variance (ANOVA). In order to compensate for the effect of multiple
testing, the level of significance was set for p < .005.
For all three samples, there were two scales (Ideal L2 Self and Milieu),
that consistently showed the highest mean values (above 4 on a 5-point scale).
Similarly, students scores on the International posture scale were also high
(around 4), which highlights Hungarian learners positive attitudes toward the
international role of the English language and that they regard the knowledge
of this language highly useful in todays globalized world. We can also observe
that none of the scales had mean values lower than 3, which indicates that all
three groups possess favorable attitudinal and motivational dispositions. As
evidenced by the high mean values for language learning attitudes and knowl-
edge orientation, the investigated groups of learners think that foreign language
learning is important and its process is enjoyable, which is reinforced by their
milieu and, for younger learners, their parents (see the values around 4 on a
5-point scale for milieu and parental encouragement). The descriptive statistics
also revealed that, on average, learners were not particularly anxious about
classroom learning and using the language outside of the classroom, as the
reversed anxiety scales showed values higher than 3. Examining the standard
deviation figures, however, we find that the language use anxiety scale showed
the largest variation in the study, which indicates that participants experience
varying degrees of anxiety in L2 communication. The percentage of students

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

Table 4 Descriptive statistics concerning the results of the three subsamples and the
comparison of the three age groups scores

Scales Sample Mean St. dev. F p Sequencea

Integrativeness Secondary school 3.49 .82 .83 .43

University 3.57 .66
Adult
Ideal L2 Self Secondary school 4.30 .69 12.02 .001 1, 3 < 2
University 4.57 .48
Adult 4.33 .73
Classroom anxietyb Secondary school 3.81 .91 2.52 .08
University 3.62 .99
Adult 3.65 .91
Language use anxietyb Secondary school 3.48 1.11 4.79 .01
University 3.71 1.06
Adult 3.38 1.12
Knowledge orientation Secondary school 3.78 .82 0.97 .37
University 3.89 .79
Adult 3.81 .79
Cultural interest Secondary school 3.13 .75 1.91 .15
University 3.20 .73
Adult 3.05 .75
International posture Secondary school 3.86 .79 6.95 .001 1, 3 < 2
University 4.11 .63
Adult 3.97 .67
Milieu Secondary school 4.44 .57 1.8 1.66 -
University 4.47 .61
Adult 4.36 .57
Language learning Secondary school 3.39 .99 41.02 .001 1<2<3
attitudes University 3.93 .78
Adult 4.13 .71
Parental Secondary school 4.15 .91 3.23 .073
encouragement University 3.99 1.02
Motivated learning Secondary school 3.50 .76 18.76 .001 1 < 2, 3
behavior University 3.88 .66
Adult 3.82 .66
a
Numbers refer to the subsamples: 1 = secondary school students; 2 = university
students; 3 = adult language learners. < and > indicate significant difference and ,
denotes nonsignificant difference.
b
Items comprising this scale were worded negatively but recoded positively; therefore,
higher mean scores indicate anxiety-free behavior and language use.

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

suffering from high levels of language use anxiety (values lower than 2) is 10.4%
and that of students having negative emotional experiences in the language
classroom (values lower than 2) is 5.9%. This indicates that the anxiety of our
participants can be primarily characterized as communication apprehension (for
a review of this issue, see Horwitz, 2001, and MacIntyre, 2002).
As for the age-related variations concerning the distinct scales (see Table 4),
university students studying English showed the highest mean values in the case
of Ideal L2 Self and International posture, whereas other adults and secondary
school students scores on these scales are consistently lower. Additional age-
related differences were also reflected in the fact that our criterion measure of
students motivated learning behavior indicated significant differences: Uni-
versity and adult language learners showed significantly higher scores on the
motivated learning behavior scale; that is, they were willing to invest more ef-
fort in language learning, they persisted longer, and language learning itself was
more important in their lives than in that of the secondary school students.
Relationships Among the Motivational Scales
In order to answer the question of what relationships might describe the obtained
motivational scales, we carried out correlational analyses. Table 5 presents the
significant correlations among the scales within each subsample (due to the
application of the Bonferroni correction procedure, only correlations where
p < .001 are reported).
As can be seen in Table 5, the correlation between the Ideal L2 Self and
integrativeness indicates that the two latent dimensions tap into similar domains
but share only 20.34% variance for secondary school students and 12.53% for
university students. For these two populations, integrativeness showed a higher
correlation with language learning attitudes than with the Ideal L2 Self, and for
university students integrativeness also seemed to be more closely related to
cultural interest than to the Ideal L2 Self. Except for secondary school students,
we could also see remarkably high correlations between the Ideal L2 dimension
and international posture. The relationship of integrativeness and international
posture for secondary school and university students was also strong. Interna-
tional posture as well as the Ideal L2 Self and integrativeness were found to be
closely related to the factor called knowledge orientation, which, as described
earlier, was a subscale measuring the traditional construct of instrumentality.
Relationships Between the Motivational Scales and the Criterion Measure
In order to find out which attitudinal and motivational scales act as predictor
variables of students motivated learning behavior, we carried out multiple re-
gression analyses with a stepwise approach. In order to adjust the significance

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

Table 5 Significant correlations (p < .001) among the attitudinal and motivational scales
for each subsample

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Secondary school
1. Ideal L2 Self
2. Integrativeness .451
3. Language learning attitudes .448 .619
4. Knowledge orientation .413 .413 .369
5. Parental encouragement .384 .251 .325 .253
6. Cultural interest .227 .422 .281
7. International posture .595 .386 .353 .455 .290
8. Classroom anxiety .258
9. Language use anxiety .366 .257 .651
10. Milieu .397 .548 .319
University
1. Ideal L2 Self
2. Integrativeness .354
3. Language learning attitudes .437 .577
4. Knowledge orientation .371 .354 .416
5. Parental encouragement .305
6. Cultural interest .366
7. International posture .507 .504 .469 .495
8. Classroom anxiety .274
9. Language use anxiety .231 .237 .226 .675
10. Milieu .216 .306 .620
Adult
1. Ideal L2 Self
3. Language learning attitudes .401
4. Knowledge orientation .315 .382 .275
5. Parental encouragement
6. Cultural interest .268 .467
7. International posture .501 .270 .242 .517
8. Classroom anxiety
9. Language use anxiety .684
10. Milieu .408 .243

level to multiple testing, the Bonferroni procedure was used, and the level of
significance was set for p < .01. The results are summarized in Tables 68. For
all three samples, the results concerning motivated behavior were consistent and
showed only minor age-related variations. Out of the 10 dimensions investigated,

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

Table 6 Results of the regression analysis of the attitudinal and motivational scales with
motivated learning behavior as the criterion variable for secondary school students

Final model

Variable B SE B

Language learning attitudes .37 .04 .49

Ideal L2 Self .35 .06 .32
Cultural interest .13 .05 .15
R2 .55
F for change in R2 6.26
Note. B stands for regression coefficient.

p < .01.

Table 7 Results of the regression analysis of the attitudinal and motivational scales with
motivated learning behavior as the criterion variable for university students

Final model

Variable B SE B

Language learning attitudes .40 .04 .48

Ideal L2 Self .40 .07 .29
International posture .14 .06 .15
R2 .56
F for change in R2 6.66
Note. B stands for regression coefficient.

p < .01.

4 contributed significantly to learners motivated behavior: Language learning

attitudes, Ideal L2 Self, cultural interest, and international posture, with lan-
guage learning attitudes and Ideal L2 Self being the most important predictor
variables. With regard to age-related differences, the Ideal L2 Self was a stronger
predictor of motivated behavior of adult learners compared to secondary school
and university students. Cultural interest was present as a significant predictor
variable in the secondary school sample, whereas international posture was
found to be a contributor only in the university years and adulthood.
In order to further our understanding of the structure of L2 motivation, we
also carried out regression analyses for the criterion variable of Ideal L2 Self.
Tables 911 indicate that the Ideal L2 Self was related to different factors in the
various age groups. What all three groups of students had in common is that
the best predictor of the Ideal L2 Self is international posture. For the Ideal L2

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

Table 8 Results of the regression analysis of the attitudinal and motivational scales with
motivated learning behavior as the criterion variable for adult language learners

Final model

Variable B SE B

Ideal L2 Sself .34 .06 .37

Language learning attitudes .36 .05 .39
International posture .17 .06 .18
R2 .46
F for change in R2 6.72
Note. B stands for regression coefficient.

p < .01.

Table 9 Results of the regression analysis of the attitudinal and motivational scales with
Ideal L2 Self as the criterion variable for secondary school students

Final model

Variable B SE B

International posture .39 .05 .44

Language learning attitudes .17 .04 .25
Milieu .25 .07 .20
R2 .46
F for change in R2 13.14
Note. B stands for regression coefficient.

p < .01.

Self of secondary school and university students, language learning attitudes

was a contributor, but it was not present in the model for adults. In the case of
secondary school students as well as adults, the Ideal L2 Self was related to the
importance students milieu attaches to language learning. For adults, cultural
interest also constituted part of the model.

Discussion
As the results of the reliability assessments and factor analyses of our ques-
tionnaire indicate, Dornyeis (2005) theory of the motivational self-system only
gained partial support. The scale measuring Ideal L2 Self could clearly be
identified as a valid and reliable one, whereas the existence of a factor called

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

Table 10 Results of the regression analysis of the attitudinal and motivational scales
with Ideal L2 Self as the criterion variable for university students

Final model

Variable B SE B

International posture .29 .05 .38

Language learning attitudes .16 .04 .26
R2 .31
F for change in R2 16.74
Note. B stands for regression coefficient.

p < .01.

Table 11 Results of the regression analysis of the attitudinal and motivational scales
with Ideal L2 Self as the criterion variable for adult language learners

Final model

Variable B SE B

International posture .48 .06 .46

Milieu .42 .07 .34
Cultural interest .17 .05 .18
R2 .45
F for change in R2 10.74
Note. B stands for regression coefficient.

p < .01.

L2 Ought-to Self could not be ascertained. Related to this, we found that in

our questionnaire instrumentality did not emerge as a single dimension either,
and only the scale measuring the knowledge orientation facet of instrumen-
tality showed acceptable statistical characteristics. Our results in this respect
suggest that for the population we examined, the construct of instrumental-
ity needs to be reconsidered. Although some Hungarian studies could clearly
identify an instrumental dimension for primary school children (e.g., Dornyei
et al., 2006), in some other research where participants were secondary school
learners no clear utilitarian dimension emerged (Clement et al., 1994; Dornyei,
2002; Dornyei & Kormos, 2000). In the latter projects, items measuring utilitar-
ian values traditionally attached to the instrumental dimension of L2 learning
(e.g., obtaining better jobs, higher salary) loaded on a factor with variables
measuring other incentives (e.g., traveling, making foreign friends). In their
classic study of motivational orientations, Clement and Kruidenier (1983) also

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

identified four orientation dimensions across a number of different learning

contexts in Canada; the traditionally conceived instrumental orientation was
one of these four, together with travel, friendship, and knowledge orientations.
It seems that depending on the relative salience of the latter three incentive as-
pects, these utilitarian values can form different combinations of the meaning
of instrumentality for L2 learners. The results of the principal component
analysis might also suggest that in countries like Hungary, where the national
economy is largely dependent on foreign companies and international relations,
the role of instrumental incentives might be partly covered by international pos-
ture because most of the instrumental values of knowing English are related to
the role of English as an international language.
The key construct of Dornyeis (2005) model, however, was not only found
to be a valid and reliable factor but also an important dimension of L2 mo-
tivation. Among all of the components of motivation, the Ideal L2 Self scale
showed the highest mean values (along with milieu) for all three populations
we investigated. This finding indicates that Hungarian learners of English who
are above the age of 14 and who live in the capital city of Budapest view them-
selves as competent foreign language users in the future. The Ideal L2 Self was
found to have the highest mean value for the university student population. The
somewhat lower values for the secondary school students might be explained
with reference to the fact that students self-image goes through considerable
changes in the period of adolescence (Carlson, 1965), and therefore their Ideal
L2 Self is also under transformation at this age. On the other hand, adults
self-image is relatively stable, and because they have to acquire the L2 in adult-
hood, the L2 self needs to be adjusted to their already crystallized self-image.
University students are in a period of their lives when they have a fairly stable
self-image, but it is still flexible (Carlson, 1965); therefore, the L2 self can eas-
ily form part of their self-image. The significant differences in students future
image of themselves as competent speakers of English might also be due to the
fact that secondary school students experience a limited amount of contact with
speakers of English and, thus, they do not yet perceive the high importance of
being able to use English in the future.
When we examine the differences in the regression models for motivated
behavior, we can see that the models of motivated behavior show considerable
variation across age groups. Although the key predictor variable is the Ideal
L2 Self for all three groups, for adolescent language learners it is interest in
English-language cultural products that affects their motivated behavior, and
international posture as an important predictive variable is only present in the
two older age groups. It is likely that the above-mentioned age-related difference

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

in the amount of contact with speakers of the target language explains the fact
that for adult learners, language-related attitudes and Ideal L2 Self variables
play almost equal roles, explaining around 40% of the variation in motivated
behavior, whereas for the two younger subsamples, language learning attitudes
are slightly more important than the Ideal L2 Self. This finding might also
be explained with reference to the fact that the language learning attitudes of
younger students are primarily based on classroom experience and are largely
shaped by teachers (see, e.g., Nikolov, 1999), whereas older students have clear
goals with language learning, which are already incorporated in their Ideal L2
Self and are less dependent on their teacher and classroom experiences.
In line with Lambs (2004) qualitative study conducted in Indonesia, we
also found that integrativeness and the Ideal L2 Self are distinct constructs in
the Hungarian population investigated. The correlation of integrativeness and
Ideal L2 Self can only be considered moderate for secondary school students,
whereas in the subsample of university students, it falls in the range gener-
ally considered as a weak relationship. Our results, then, indicate that for our
participants, the Ideal L2 Self cannot replace the construct of integrativeness
(i.e., learners attitudes to L2 speakers as suggested by Dornyei, 2005). The
regression analyses reveal that the Ideal L2 Self is best predicted by the vari-
able of international posture, and integrativeness is not present in the regression
models. From this we might conclude that it is ones attitude to English as an
international language that affects ones image as a successful user of L2 in the
future, a finding that is very similar to the one presented in Lambs interview
study. If we examine the models of Ideal L2 Self, we can see that for secondary
students and university students, attitudes to language learning are among the
predictor variables. This suggests that enjoyment derived from language learn-
ing, an important motivational factor identified by Ushioda (2001), is related to
secondary and university students views of themselves as successful language
users. In Dornyeis (2005) model, this motivational factor is assumed to belong
to the component of L2 learning experience. Our regression models, however,
raise the question of whether it is possible to separate language learning experi-
ences from ones Ideal L2 Self. In addition, both the correlational and regression
analyses show that there is a strong relationship between adult and secondary
school learners milieu and their Ideal L2 Self, which indicates that students
environment plays an important role in shaping their views of themselves.
Our study also brings to light inherent problems with the construct of inte-
grativeness. The reliability analyses across the three subsamples show that as
students get older, the concept of integrativeness seems to be less consistent
for learners: The reliability coefficient for adults is unacceptably low. The role

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

of integrativeness in influencing motivated behavior seems to be taken over

by the Ideal L2 Self. As opposed to earlier studies conducted with Hungarian
primary school children (for an overview, see Dornyei et al., 2006), integra-
tiveness does not even meet the entry criteria. We cannot unequivocally claim
either that international posture or integrativeness are interchangeable concepts
in the investigated setting, as for secondary students integrativeness is only
moderately strongly related to attitudes to English as an international language
and it is only for university students that these two scales share 25% of the
variance. Due to the fact that secondary school students have a limited amount
of contact opportunities with users of English outside of the classroom and
that most course books still focus on L2 native speakers and their cultures,
their attitudes about native speakers and the global English user community
show smaller overlaps than that of university students, who might meet foreign
exchange students and read international books and journals in English (see
Kormos, Csizer, Menyhart, & Torok, 2008).
If we examine the models of motivated behavior and the mean values of
the scales across all three age groups, we can see that the two key dimensions
that emerge as important in the motivational profile of the sample investigated
are the Ideal L2 Self and international posture. This indicates that although
Dornyeis (2005) theory of the motivational self-system needs to be refined, it
rightly claims that ones image as a competent L2 user is a significant driving
force in L2 learning. Our study also lends support to previous investigations
that have so far shown, in an Asian setting (e.g., Lamb, 2004; Warden & Lin,
2000; Yashima, 2000, 2002), that students attitudes to the role of English in
our globalized world are highly important in L2 learning.
The largest difference among the three age groups can be seen in the case
of language learning attitudes and motivated behavior. This might be explained
with reference to the compulsory nature of learning English. Although sec-
ondary school students might have a choice of what language they would like
to learn at the onset of their studies, they have to continue studying this language
until the end of their secondary school career. For university students, there is
also a compulsory factor in language learning, as they cannot receive their
diploma until they obtain the prerequisite language certificates. On the other
hand, the adult learners surveyed, most of whom attend a language school,
might learn English in their free time for their own pleasure, although they
might also experience pressure from the job market to have a high L2 compe-
tence. Nevertheless, we can conclude that despite the fact that the mean values
for motivated behavior and language learning attitudes are lower in the case
of secondary school students than in the two older populations, they are still

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

reasonably high. This indicates that all three investigated samples have favor-
able motivational characteristics as far as learning English is concerned. We
have to note, however, that this does not necessarily mean that, in general, Hun-
garian learners find learning foreign languages important. Comparative data
on the motivational profile of primary school students of English and German
indicate that students show considerably more positive attitudes toward and in-
vest more energy in studying English than German, which is also a regionally
important language in Hungary (Csizer & Kormos, 2008).

Implications and Directions for Future Research

In this study we investigated two important issues in the field of L2 motivation:
the age-related differences among Hungarian learners of English in the capital
of Hungary and the validity of the two main constructs of Dornyeis motivational
self-system: the Ideal L2 Self and the Ought-to L2 Self in a Hungarian context. In
our study we found considerable variation in the models of motivated behavior,
which suggests that theories of L2 motivation do not only have to take into
account the setting in which students acquire the language but also the age of
the learners. From this it also follows that it is probably an impossible task to
devise a universally applicable theory of motivation because, as our research
suggests, it is not only the case that a fixed set of factors play a different role
in L2 motivation at different ages but also that certain factors are not even
meaningful in a particular setting or for a specific age group.
Dornyeis (2005) theory of the motivational self-system only gained partial
support in our context becuse the dimension of Ought-to L2 Self could not
be identified. The existence of the construct of the Ideal L2 Self, however,
was verified, and the Ideal L2 Self played a highly important role in language
learning motivation for all the investigated age groups. Our results also suggest
that the Ideal L2 Self is more closely related to international posture than to
attitudes to native speakers and that therefore, in a Hungarian context, Ideal L2
Self and integrativeness are not interchangeable concepts.
From our results we can conclude that all three investigated samples are
highly motivated to learn English and have very favorable motivational char-
acteristics. The high willingness of students to learn the language seems to
contrast the actual language competence of the Hungarian population (TNS
Hungary, press release, November 17, 2005), which points to the frequently
discussed problems with foreign language teaching in Hungary (e.g., Lukacs,
2002). Our results indicate that the effort that students are willing to invest
in language learning is determined by two important factors: attitudes toward

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

language learning and Ideal L2 Self. From studies on motivational strategies

(Dornyei, 2001b), it is evident that teachers, materials, and activities are instru-
mental in shaping attitudes to learning. Therefore, it is highly important for all
the age groups that teachers employ a wide variety of motivational strategies.
The significant role of students self-image should also be taken into consider-
ation in the language teaching process. Teachers can ask their students to talk
about how they see themselves as language users in the future and should explic-
itly discuss the important role that English plays in todays world. Both of these
techniques might have a positive effect on students Ideal L2 Self. Our findings
concerning the discrepancy of the positive motivational characteristics and the
low level of the proficiency of students do not only highlight that changes in
the overall quality of instruction are needed but also that positive attitudes and
reportedly highly motivated behavior do not necessarily mean that students in
fact invest a sufficient amount of energy in language learning. Learning an L2
differs from the acquisition of other skills in life in requiring intensive practice
and increased effort. In a foreign language setting such as Hungary, the number
of language classes provided in most instructional programs is not sufficient for
becoming a successful L2 speaker if the student does not invest sufficient en-
ergy in studying outside of the class. Consequently, students have to learn how
to study on their own and how to exploit the available opportunities for using
the L2. Therefore language teaching in Hungary should also involve training
students to become autonomous learners. We also have to note that it is not only
the responsibility of schools to help students to learn how to study on their own
but also that of parents. Language teachers should not only show the importance
of language learning to their students but should also communicate this to the
parents and ask for their support in the teaching process.
The main limitation of our study is that our participants were only from
one region of the country, the capital city, which is thought to be much more
cosmopolitan than other settlements in Hungary. Therefore, it is expected that
certain scales such as English as an international language might show different
values if other parts of the country were surveyed. One further possible exten-
sion of our study could be the investigation of language learning motivation in
settlements where students experience little contact with English speakers and
their cultural products. As mentioned earlier, models of motivation might not
only differ across age groups but also in different geographical settings; thus,
our study could be replicated in different parts of the world, where potentially
very different conclusions might be drawn. It is also possible that reformulation
of the items in the scale of Ought-to L2 Self might result in the emergence of
this construct as a separate motivational factor. Thus, future studies might not

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Kormos and Csizer Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Learning EFL

only consider choosing different populations but also extending and modifying
the questions of our survey instrument. Another possible direction for future re-
search could be the longitudinal study of the motivational evolution of language
learners, which could reveal within one group of students how the interplay of
motivational characteristics changes with age and language learning experience
and by entering a new language learning environment.
Revised version accepted 31 July 2007

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