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MOTIVATION AS QUALITY

REGULATORY FIT EFFECTS ON INCIDENTAL VOCABULARY LEARNING

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Mostafa Papi
Mostafa Papi*
Affiliation:
Florida State University
*
*Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Mostafa Papi at Florida State University, G129, Stone Building, Tallahassee, FL, 32306. E-mail: mpapi@fsu.edu
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Abstract

The study examined the predictions of regulatory fit theory (Higgins, 2000) in relation to task-based incidental vocabulary learning. A total of 189 English as a second language learners completed a vocabulary pretest, a regulatory focus questionnaire, an integrated reading/writing task, and finally an unannounced vocabulary posttest. The participants were randomly assigned to two task conditions. In the gain condition, they started the task with zero points and had to gain 75 points to enter a drawing to win one of three $100 gift cards; in the loss condition, they started with 100 points and had to avoid losing more than 25 points. Multiple regression results partly supported the regulatory fit predictions. Prevention individuals learned significantly more vocabulary items in the loss condition than in the gain condition; but promotion individuals did not learn significantly more vocabulary items in the gain condition than in the loss condition. Theoretical and pedagogical implications, and future research directions are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 40 , Issue 4 , December 2018 , pp. 707 - 730
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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Footnotes

I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and editors of SSLA, whose constructive feedback resulted in significant improvements in the quality of this article. I am also grateful to all the teachers and students who participated in this study.

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