Bridging Ethnic Psychology and Second Language Acquisition: A Comparative Study of Emotional Intelligence and Grit in Chinese and Indonesian Learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63385/cces.v1i1.134Keywords:
Ethnic Psychology, Second Language Acquisition, Well-Being Model, Emotional Intelligence, GritAbstract
With the deepening of cross-national exchange, the significance of ethnic psychology and its interdisciplinary applications has become increasingly evident. Ethnic psychology, which examines the psychological traits and behavioral patterns shaped by distinct cultural contexts, provides valuable insights into how learners from different backgrounds engage in second language acquisition. This study integrates the theoretical framework of ethnic psychology into second language acquisition research by investigating the relationship between emotional intelligence and second language grit among university students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Drawing on data from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 831 English learners in China and Indonesia, the study examines cross-cultural variations and correlations. Results show that Chinese students report significantly higher emotional intelligence, while Indonesian students exhibit greater second language grit. These differences are shaped by factors such as rigidity and linguistic distance. Emotional intelligence is positively correlated with second language grit in both groups, though the strength of this relationship and its predictive mechanisms vary. Cultural rigidity and time orientation (long-term vs. short-term) emerge as key influencing variables. This research underscores the value of ethnic psychology in advancing global educational equity and cooperation, offering important implications for culturally responsive educational policy, pedagogical design, and inclusive development in global English language education.
References
[1] Zhang, S., 1996. Ethnopsychology. Shandong Education Press: Jinan, China. (in Chinese)
[2] Zhang, J., 2019. Ethnopsychology. East China Normal University Press: Shanghai, China. (in Chinese)
[3] Alrabai, F., Dewaele, J.M., 2023. Transforming the EMPATHICS model into a workable E4MC model of language learner well-being. Journal of Psychology and Language Learning. 5(1), 1–14.
[4] Petrides, K.V., 2009. Psychometric Properties of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). In: Stough, C., Saklofske, D.H., Parker, J.D.A. (eds.). Assessing Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Research, and Applications. Springer: Boston, MA, USA. pp. 85–101.
[5] Duckworth, A.L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M.D., et al., 2007. Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 92(6), 1087–1101.
[6] Liu, E., Wang, J., 2021. Examining the relationship between grit and foreign language performance: Enjoyment and anxiety as mediators. Frontiers in Psychology. 12, 666892.
[7] Oxford, R.L., 2016. Toward a Psychology of Well-Being for Language Learners: The ‘EMPATHICS’ Vision. In: MacIntyre, P.D., Gregersen, T., Mercer, S. (eds.). Positive Psychology in SLA. Multilingual Matters: Bristol, UK. pp. 10–88.
[8] Khajavy, G.H., Aghaee, E., 2024. The contribution of grit, emotions and personal bests to foreign language learning. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 45(6), 2300–2314.
[9] Zheng, S., Heydarnejad, T., Aberash, A., et al., 2022. Modeling the interplay between emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and L2 grit in higher education. Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 1013370.
[10] Kachru, B.B., Quirk, R., Widdowson, H.G., 1985. World Englishes: Critical Concepts in Linguistics. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge,UK. pp. 241–270.
[11] Markus, H.R., Kitayama, S., 2014. Culture and the Self: Implications for Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation. In: Altbach, P.G., Arnold, K., King, I.C. (eds.). College Student Development and Academic Life: Psychological, Intellectual, Social and Moral Issues. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 264–293.
[12] Gökçen, E., Furnham, A., Mavroveli, S., et al., 2014. A cross-cultural investigation of trait emotional intelligence in Hong Kong and the UK. Personality and Individual Differences. 65, 30–35.
[13] Chen, C., Ye, S., Hangen, E., 2018. Predicting achievement goals in the East and West: The role of grit among American and Chinese university students. Educational Psychology. 38(6), 820–837.
[14] Liang, J., Zhou, F., 2010. A review and prospect of cross-cultural research methods. Acta Psychologica Sinica. 42(1), 41–47.
[15] Gunkel, M., Schlägel, C., Engle, R.L., 2014. Culture's influence on emotional intelligence: An empirical study of nine countries. Journal of International Management. 20(2), 256–274.
[16] Dewi, Z.L., Halim, M.S., Derksen, J., 2018. Emotional intelligence competences of three different ethnic groups in Indonesia. Asian Ethnicity. 19(1), 36–58.
[17] Dewaele, J.M., Botes, E., Greiff, S., 2023. Sources and effects of foreign language enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom: A structural equation modeling approach. Studies in Second Language Acquisition. 45(2), 461–479.
[18] Wei, X., Peng, J., Qin, L., et al., 2024. The relationship between classroom environment, L2 grit and English academic achievement: The mediating role of academic emotions. Modern Foreign Languages. 47(1), 89–100. (in Chinese)
[19] Cohen, J., 1988. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Routledge: New York, US.
[20] Plonsky, L., Oswald, F.L., 2014. How big is “big”? Interpreting effect sizes in L2 research. Language Learning. 64(4), 878–912.
[21] Li, C., Dewaele, J.M., 2020. The predictive effect of trait emotional intelligence and online learning gain on boredom in foreign language classrooms. Foreign Languages and Their Teaching. 5, 33–44. (in Chinese)
[22] Toar, D.D., Mbato, C.L., Ardi, P., 2024. Senior High School Students' Attitudes and Grit in EFL Learning: Insights from Indonesia. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network. 17(2), 599–620.
[23] Chiswick, B.R., Miller, P.W., 2005. Linguistic distance: A quantitative measure of the distance between English and other languages. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 26(1), 1–11.
[24] Meng, Z., 2005. Emotional Psychology. Peking University Press: Beijing, China. pp. 893–918. (in Chinese)
[25] Wang, X., 2012. A preliminary study on English education in Indonesia [Master’s Thesis]. Guangxi Normal University: Guilin, China. pp. 1–70.
[26] Pekrun, R., Frenzel, A.C., Goetz, T., et al., 2007. The Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions: An Integrative Approach to Emotions in Education. In: Schutz, P.A., Pekrun, R. (eds.). Emotion in Education. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, USA. pp. 13–36. (in Chinese)
[27] Dewaele, J.M., Chen, X., Padilla, A.M., et al., 2019. The flowering of positive psychology in foreign language teaching and acquisition research. Frontiers in Psychology. 10, 2128.
[28] Winsler, A., Kim, Y.K., Richard, E.R., 2014. Socio-emotional skills, behavior problems, and Spanish competence predict the acquisition of English among English language learners in poverty. Developmental Psychology. 50(9), 2242–2254.
Downloads
PDF
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Shuhong Li, Xiaowei Zhang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
