Effect of English Learning Motivation on Academic Performance Among English Majors in China: The Moderating Role of Certain Personality Traits

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have explored the interrelationship among learning motivation, personality traits, and academic performance, but little is known about the role of personality traits in the relationship between foreign language learners’ motivation and academic performance, especially in the Chinese setting, where English is taken as a compulsory course in universities. PURPOSE: This study aimed to fill the gap by investigating the relationship between English learning motivation and academic performance among English majors in China and identifying the moderating role of certain personality traits, sequentially providing some implications for improving college English teaching strategies in China. METHODS: English majors (N=273) from different types of universities in China were recruited to complete the revised version of the English learning motivation scale and big five personality traits scales via an online survey platform. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to explore the relationships among the three variables. RESULTS: Results demonstrated that English learning motivation and openness both significantly influenced academic performance and significant interaction effects were found between English learning motivation and agreeableness. Specifically, agreeableness partially moderated the relationship between English learning motivation and academic performance, and English learning motivation had a positive effect on academic performance only for learners with lower levels of agreeableness. CONCLUSION: These findings not only addressed the gap of the moderating role of personality traits in the motivation-performance relationship but also extended our knowledge of the roles of English learning motivation and certain personality traits in English learning within the context of China, where English is taken as a foreign language, thus providing practical suggestions for college English teachers and researchers in China to improve students academic performance.