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L2 motivation and willingness to communicate: a moderated mediation model of psychological shyness

Abstract Psychological factors involved in learning a second language (L2) present a considerable interest for applied linguistics researchers and language educators. This study adopted the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) framework to examine links between L2 motivation, willingness to communicate in the target language (L2WTC), classroom environment (L2CE) and psychological shyness of Chinese learners of English. The study posited that L2 motivation would be positively associated with L2WTC and that L2CE would mediate this relationship. It was further proposed that the L2MSS → L2CE → L2WTC nexus would be moderated by the language learners’ psychological shyness. Data were collected from 846 (N = 846) learners of English as a foreign language in three large state universities in China and analysed using rigorous statistical methods. The findings indicated that L2MSS was positively associated with L2WTC and that L2CE mediated the association between the two constructs. Furthermore, psychological shyness moderated the first and the second links in the L2MSS → L2CE → L2WTC nexus. These findings have notable pedagogical implications, such as the need to help students generate a positive self-image as an L2 user, to provide encouragement to the shy students and to create an inclusive and supportive classroom environment.