Volume 22, Issue 86 (11-2022)
refahj 2022, 22(86): 195-233 |
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Elsan B, Sadeghoghli H, Rouhi A. (2022). Motivonia: Wellbeing and Well-Willing, Two Factors of English Language Learners’ Motivated Behaviour. refahj. 22(86), : 6 doi:10.32598/refahj.22.86.3566.1
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-3835-en.html
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-3835-en.html
Motivonia: Wellbeing and Well-Willing, Two Factors of English Language Learners’ Motivated Behaviour
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Introduction: The concepts and discussions of wellbeing significantly overlap with the issues of motivation, goals, and performance of individuals. Drawing on the common discussions between motivation and wellbeing, we introduce motivonia which maintains that motivation is derived by the wellbeing experienced in the past, present, and the well-willing (desired future wellbeing) of individuals. Humans instinctively desire a happy life and promotion of their wellbeing; thus every goal they define and take steps towards achieving it is affected not only by the previous and present status of wellbeing, but also with their desired future wellbeing which is termed as well-willing in motivonia. In other words, according to motivonia, motivational behavior and practical actions of individuals are resulted from two motivating factors: wellbeing and well-willing. These two factors motivate the individuals to take practical steps. The present article seeks to examine the validity of motivonia in explaining the effect of wellbeing and well-willing on individuals’ intended effort and engagement in the context of English language teaching.
Method: In a quantitative survey design, data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 38 Likert-type items and a number of demographic items in the period of October to December 2019, from 193 male and female students (aged from 15 to 38) conveniently sampled from Islamic Azad University of Islamshahr and six secondary shools in the southwest of the suburbs of Tehran: In this study, the independent variables were EFL engaging wellbeing, well-willing, and three dimensions of global wellbeing namely a) health and quality of life, b) psychological wellbeing and c) relationships. The dependent variables were intended EFL motivated behaviour and global wellbeing of the learners. The scales of EFL engaging wellbeing and well-willing were adopted from the first author's doctoral dissertation and the items of intended L2 motivated behaviour were adopted from Taguchi et al.’s “criterion measure” (2009) and the items of three dimensions of global wellbeing were adopted from Pontin et al. (2013). All the above varables were measured as five-level Likert-type scales. The rationale behind choosing EFL learners as the population of the study was the long-term process of learning L2 and its potential of affecting learners’ wellbeing. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26 and regression tests. The significance level of all tests were less than 5% (p < .05).
Findings: An exploratory factor analysis using Maximum Likelihood method and Promax rotation was run which indicated that the loadings were consistant with the designated and targeted scales of the study. All factor loadings were above .431 indicating strong construct validity of the scales. The internal consistency of the variables (items) loaded by the same factors (scales) were calculated via Chronbach’s alpha which indicated very strong reliability for the scales above .77. The results of Pearson r correlation coefficient indicated that there were strong to very strong statistically significant correlations among the dimensions of global wellbeing. The same results were also evident for the correlation among the intended effort on the one hand and the motivonic factors on the other hand. The correlation between well-willing and L2 engaging wellbeing was strong as well. There were weak yet statistically meaningful correlation between L2 engaging wellbeing on the one hand and three dimensions of global wellbeing. The age of the participants had negative, moderate, and statistically meaningful correlation with three dimenions of global wellbeing (refer to Table 1 for more details).
The results of a multiple hierarchical linear regression (Table 2) revealed that both L2 learners’ L2 engaging wellbeing and well-willing had positive significant effects on their L2 intended effort (willingness to devote future efforts to learn English). However, the effect of L2 engaging wellbeing was twice larger than the effect of well-willing. Moreover, the results of multiple standard linear regression indicated that the learners’ L2 engaging wellbeing, but not well-willing, could significantly explain the varience of their global wellbeing (Table 3).
Discussion:
The results concerning L2 engaging wellbeing to explain twice more of the varience of the EFL learners’ intended effort was in line with some previous studies in L2 motivation research. For instance, in studies based on Dörnyei’s (2009) L2 motivational self system, EFL learners’ “L2 learning experience” compared to their “ideal L2 self” (which have similar constructs to L2 engaging wellbeing and well-willing respectively) indicated greater relationship with their “intended effort” (Al-Hoorie, 2018; Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009; Teimouri et al, 2017; Yetkin & Ekin, 2018). Similarly, based on Gardner’s integrative motivation, L2 learners’ classroom motivation and their integrative orientation (i.e. similar constructs to L2 engaging wellbeing and well-willing respectively) were the major factors explaining the learners’ L2 learning motivation (Al-Hoorie & MacIntyre, 2019; Csizér & Dörnyei, 2005; Gardner, 1985, 2007). Therefore, as hypothesized, the main factors of the motivated behaviour are well-willing and wellbeing in L2 learning as a specific life domain. The findings were in line with Huseynpur et al. (2020) report of statistically significant impact of well-willing and L2 engaging wellbeing on Iranian EFL learners’ desire to migrate which is supposed to be a strategic attemt to improve their future wellbeing.
The results of another regression indicating that L2 engaging wellbeing has 28.4 and 25.2 percent total and unique direct effects on the overall global wellbeing respectively. However, well-willing had no statistically significant effect on the current global wellbeing of the participants. This is also in line with the approach of motivonia as well as the related literature arguments which regard causal relationship between global wellbeing and wellbeing in specific life domains including but not limited to family status, residential area, educational setting, and professional environment (Cummins, 1996; International Wellbeing Group, 2013). According to the results, psychological wellbeing, compared with the other two dimensions of the global wellbeing, had relatively higher correlation coefficient with L2 engaging wellbeing. The reason can be the close relationship of engaging wellbeing in every life domain with the experiencer’s overall mental and psychological wellbeing.
The aforementioned findings are salient because the approximately 30 per cent effect of L2-domain as only one of many life domains on global wellbeing of the EFL learners as well as the strong relationship between the L2-domain wellbeing and well-willing are suggesting the importance of the contribution of L2 domain to L2 learners’ global wellbeing and desired future wellbeing. In fine, the results of the current study suggest that the root of all motivations is the wish and or the attempt to access a better wellbeing. Therefore, with respect to the close relationship between motivation and wellbeing, the policy-makers in wellbeing and educational fields should regard improving wellbeing as the ultimate end to every motivational engagement, and make required policies accordingly to form and improve L2 learners’ well-willing and L2-domain wellbeing.
Keywords: Motivonia, Motivation, Wellbeing, Well-willing, Foreign language learning
Introduction: The concepts and discussions of wellbeing significantly overlap with the issues of motivation, goals, and performance of individuals. Drawing on the common discussions between motivation and wellbeing, we introduce motivonia which maintains that motivation is derived by the wellbeing experienced in the past, present, and the well-willing (desired future wellbeing) of individuals. Humans instinctively desire a happy life and promotion of their wellbeing; thus every goal they define and take steps towards achieving it is affected not only by the previous and present status of wellbeing, but also with their desired future wellbeing which is termed as well-willing in motivonia. In other words, according to motivonia, motivational behavior and practical actions of individuals are resulted from two motivating factors: wellbeing and well-willing. These two factors motivate the individuals to take practical steps. The present article seeks to examine the validity of motivonia in explaining the effect of wellbeing and well-willing on individuals’ intended effort and engagement in the context of English language teaching.
Method: In a quantitative survey design, data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 38 Likert-type items and a number of demographic items in the period of October to December 2019, from 193 male and female students (aged from 15 to 38) conveniently sampled from Islamic Azad University of Islamshahr and six secondary shools in the southwest of the suburbs of Tehran: In this study, the independent variables were EFL engaging wellbeing, well-willing, and three dimensions of global wellbeing namely a) health and quality of life, b) psychological wellbeing and c) relationships. The dependent variables were intended EFL motivated behaviour and global wellbeing of the learners. The scales of EFL engaging wellbeing and well-willing were adopted from the first author's doctoral dissertation and the items of intended L2 motivated behaviour were adopted from Taguchi et al.’s “criterion measure” (2009) and the items of three dimensions of global wellbeing were adopted from Pontin et al. (2013). All the above varables were measured as five-level Likert-type scales. The rationale behind choosing EFL learners as the population of the study was the long-term process of learning L2 and its potential of affecting learners’ wellbeing. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26 and regression tests. The significance level of all tests were less than 5% (p < .05).
| Table 1 Pearson r Correlation Coefficients between Variables |
|||||||||
| Age | Well-Willing | Intended L2 Engagement |
L2 Engaging WB | HWB | Relationships | PWB | |||
| Well-Willing | Pearson r | .039 | |||||||
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .589 | ||||||||
| Intended L2 Engagement |
Pearson r | .057 | .624** | ||||||
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .429 | .000 | |||||||
| L2 Engaging WB | Pearson r | .005 | .461** | .774** | |||||
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .949 | .000 | .000 | ||||||
| HWB | Pearson r | -.273** | .059 | .070 | .220** | ||||
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .000 | .428 | .348 | .003 | |||||
| Relationships | Pearson r | -.244** | .073 | .016 | .186* | .460** | |||
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .000 | .325 | .829 | .012 | .000 | ||||
| PWB | Pearson r | -.292** | .077 | .124 | .248** | .681** | .400** | ||
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .000 | .301 | .096 | .001 | .000 | .000 | |||
| Global SWB | Pearson r | -.327** | .086 | .080 | .263** | .852** | .791** | .820** | |
| Sig. (2-tailed) | .000 | .251 | .281 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||
|
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| Table 2. Hierarchical Multiple Linear Regression Analysis Results and Coefficients |
|||||||||
| Model | Unstandardized Coefficients | Standardized Coefficients | t | Sig. | Correlations | ||||
| B | Std. Error | Beta | Zero-order | Partial | Part | ||||
| 1 | (Constant) | 4.129 | .447 | 9.232 | .000 | ||||
| HWB | -.020 | .149 | -.014 | -.131 | .896 | .070 | -.010 | -.010 | |
| Relationships | -.043 | .099 | -.037 | -.434 | .665 | .016 | -.033 | -.032 | |
| PWB | .216 | .150 | .148 | 1.443 | .151 | .124 | .108 | .107 | |
| 2 | (Constant) | .859 | .311 | 2.763 | .006 | ||||
| HWB | -.076 | .082 | -.054 | -.929 | .354 | .070 | -.070 | -.038 | |
| Relationships | -.130 | .054 | -.111 | -2.394 | .018 | .016 | -.178 | -.098 | |
| PWB | .027 | .083 | .019 | .331 | .741 | .124 | .025 | .013 | |
| Well-Willing | .354 | .049 | .335 | 7.279 | .000 | .624 | .481 | .297 | |
| L2Engaging WB | .754 | .055 | .647 | 13.598 | .000 | .774 | .716 | .555 | |
| Note 1. Model 1 Regression Analysis Results: R: .129, R2: .017, Adj. R2: .000, Std. Error of the Estimate: 1.0192, F: 1.01, Sig.: .390. Note 2. Model 2 Regression Analysis Results: R: .841, R2: .707, Adj. R2: .699, Std. Error of the Estimate: .5595, F: 84.95, Sig.: .000. Note 3. Model 1 Predictors: Health and Wellbeing, Psychological Wellbeing, Relationships. Note 4. Model 2 Predictors: Health and Wellbeing, Psychological Wellbeing, Relationships, Well-Willing, L2 Engaging Wellbeing Note 5. Dependent Variable: Intended L2 Engagement |
|||||||||
| Table 3 Standard Multiple Linear Regression Analysis Results and Coefficients |
|||||||||
| Model | Unstandardized Coefficients | Standardized Coefficients | t | Sig. | Correlations | ||||
| B | Std. Error | Beta | Zero-order | Partial | Part | ||||
| 1 | (Constant) | 2.993 | .249 | 12.038 | .000 | ||||
| Well-Willing | -.029 | .053 | -.045 | -.560 | .576 | .086 | -.042 | -.040 | |
| L2EWB | .203 | .058 | .284 | 3.497 | .001 | .263 | .253 | .252 | |
| Note 1. Model Regression Analysis Results: R: .266, R2: .071, Adj. R2: .060, Std. Error of the Estimate: .6055, F: 6.82, Sig.: .001 Note 2. Dependent Variable: Global Wellbeing Note 3. Predictors: Well-Willing, L2 Engaging Wellbeing |
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The results concerning L2 engaging wellbeing to explain twice more of the varience of the EFL learners’ intended effort was in line with some previous studies in L2 motivation research. For instance, in studies based on Dörnyei’s (2009) L2 motivational self system, EFL learners’ “L2 learning experience” compared to their “ideal L2 self” (which have similar constructs to L2 engaging wellbeing and well-willing respectively) indicated greater relationship with their “intended effort” (Al-Hoorie, 2018; Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009; Teimouri et al, 2017; Yetkin & Ekin, 2018). Similarly, based on Gardner’s integrative motivation, L2 learners’ classroom motivation and their integrative orientation (i.e. similar constructs to L2 engaging wellbeing and well-willing respectively) were the major factors explaining the learners’ L2 learning motivation (Al-Hoorie & MacIntyre, 2019; Csizér & Dörnyei, 2005; Gardner, 1985, 2007). Therefore, as hypothesized, the main factors of the motivated behaviour are well-willing and wellbeing in L2 learning as a specific life domain. The findings were in line with Huseynpur et al. (2020) report of statistically significant impact of well-willing and L2 engaging wellbeing on Iranian EFL learners’ desire to migrate which is supposed to be a strategic attemt to improve their future wellbeing.
The results of another regression indicating that L2 engaging wellbeing has 28.4 and 25.2 percent total and unique direct effects on the overall global wellbeing respectively. However, well-willing had no statistically significant effect on the current global wellbeing of the participants. This is also in line with the approach of motivonia as well as the related literature arguments which regard causal relationship between global wellbeing and wellbeing in specific life domains including but not limited to family status, residential area, educational setting, and professional environment (Cummins, 1996; International Wellbeing Group, 2013). According to the results, psychological wellbeing, compared with the other two dimensions of the global wellbeing, had relatively higher correlation coefficient with L2 engaging wellbeing. The reason can be the close relationship of engaging wellbeing in every life domain with the experiencer’s overall mental and psychological wellbeing.
The aforementioned findings are salient because the approximately 30 per cent effect of L2-domain as only one of many life domains on global wellbeing of the EFL learners as well as the strong relationship between the L2-domain wellbeing and well-willing are suggesting the importance of the contribution of L2 domain to L2 learners’ global wellbeing and desired future wellbeing. In fine, the results of the current study suggest that the root of all motivations is the wish and or the attempt to access a better wellbeing. Therefore, with respect to the close relationship between motivation and wellbeing, the policy-makers in wellbeing and educational fields should regard improving wellbeing as the ultimate end to every motivational engagement, and make required policies accordingly to form and improve L2 learners’ well-willing and L2-domain wellbeing.
Keywords: Motivonia, Motivation, Wellbeing, Well-willing, Foreign language learning
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2021/01/22 | Accepted: 2022/07/20 | Published: 2022/11/13
Received: 2021/01/22 | Accepted: 2022/07/20 | Published: 2022/11/13
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