Abstract:

Despite the long history of research, the problem of the foreign/second languages learning (FLL/SLL) is far from being solved, due to its complexity and interdisciplinary nature. Numerous social, pedagogical, linguistic, psychological, and psychophysiological factors are investigated as predictors of success in FLL. Among the psychological factors of foreign language proficiency (FLP), motivation, cognitive abilities, personality traits, etc. are studied. Recently, in Western and Russian psychology, much attention has been paid to the study of personality traits as predictors of FLP.

In our previous studies, we revealed the relationship of FLP level with personality traits, considered on the basis of the Five-Factor Model by R.R. McCrae and P.T. Costa and the System-Functional Models by A.Krupnov.

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the correlation between personality traits considered on the basis of 16 Personality Factor Model by R. Cattell and the FLP level among Linguistics and Non-Linguistics university students. The total sample includes 241 first- and second-year undergraduate students (74% females), of which 128 students (82.5% females) study at the Linguistics Department and 113 students (64% females) belong to Non-Linguistics departments. All the students learn English as a primary foreign language (FL).

The personality traits (factors) were measured with the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF) by R. Cattell.

This questionnaire includes 16 scales:
1) Warmth (A);
2) Reasoning (B);
3) Emotional Stability (C);
4) Dominance (E);
5) Liveliness (F);
6) Rule-Consciousness (G);
7) Social Boldness (H);
8) Sensitivity (I);
9) Vigilance (L);
10) Abstractedness (M);
11) Privateness (N);
12) Apprehension (O);
13) Openness to Change (Q1);
14) Self-Reliance (Q2);
15) Perfectionism (Q3);
16) Tension (Q4).

To measure the FLP, we used both semester Final Grades in English and assessments made by English teachers in relation to their students according to the Foreign Language Proficiency Scale (10 indices and the total score). To process the data in the R software environment, version 3.5.2, the methods of descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and Wilcoxon’s T-test were used.

It was found that the FLP is more closely related to the Privateness (positive correlation) and Dominance (negative correlation). Consequently, teachers tend to rate the FLP of more compliant, respectful, humble, amiable students more highly, in line with our previous research on initiative and creativity as factors of FLL. While, there is a specificity of correlations between Cattell’s 16 PF and FLP indicators in groups of Linguistics and Non-Linguistics students that must be taken into account in the teaching English as a foreign language.

Keywords:

16 Personality Factor Model, Personality Traits, English as a foreign language, Foreign Language Learning, Foreign Language Proficiency, University Students.