Self-efficacy and Motivation among Iranian EFL Learners: An Investigation into their Relationships

Abstract

This paper reports on the association between Iranian EFL learners' motivation and self-efficacy. Three measures, English self-efficacy, General self-efficacy, and Language Learning Orientations, were used in this study. The participants were 93 male and female EFL learners from four different universities in Mashhad, who were at graduate (MA) and undergraduate (BA) levels. The results revealed that there exists a significant association between EFL learners' self-efficacy and their intrinsic motivation. Moreover, amotivation, among the subscales of motivation, was found to be negatively related to students' self-efficacy. Finally, the results were discussed and pedagogical implications were provided in the context of language learning and teaching.