Understanding Third Language Learners’ Communication Apprehension by Employing their Socio-demographic Profiles, Academic Motivation and Self-Efficacy as Predictors

Abstract

Introduction. Communication apprehension is significant in understanding the language skills acquisition of foreign language students. However, studies on communication apprehension have been devoted mainly to second language learners of the English Language. Consequently, there is, in the body of literature, insufficient evidence to understand factors that impact communication apprehension of third language learners. This gap can limit the capacity of researchers interested in foreign language to understand the mechanism underlying third language learners’ communication apprehension. This warranted the need to investigate the predictive powers of socio-demographic variables, academic motivation, and self-efficacy on the communication apprehension of French, Chinese and German third language learners in Nigerian Federal universities. Method. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted on a sample of 278 third language learners (French n = 148; Chinese n = 78 and German n =52). Socio-demographic variables (age, gender and language of specialization), dimensions of academic motivation (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, motivational strength) and self-efficacy served as the predictor variables while communication apprehension was the criterion variable. Results. Results revealed that while the socio-demographic variables were not significant predictors, intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy negatively and significantly predicted third language learners’ communication apprehension whereas motivational strength became a positive and significant predictor of third language learners’ communication apprehension only when their self-efficacy was entered in the model. Discussions and conclusions. Based on the findings, it was concluded that possession of strong self-efficacy beliefs and high intrinsic motivation might be essential for third language learners to overcome their communication apprehension.