Motivation and the Perception of Phonemic Contrasts: Investigating the Role of Integrative and Instrumental Motivation

Abstract

The acquisition of the phonology of a second language (L2) often comes with challenges for L2 learners. Previous research has shown that integrative and instrumental motivation can affect second language proficiency. The current study investigates the effect of integrative and instrumental motivation on the perception of the English phonemic contrasts /æ-e/ and voiced vs. voiceless obstruents in word-final position in Dutch secondary-school students. It has also examined whether the effect of motivation differs per phoneme type. No main effect of integrative and instrumental motivation is found. However, there is an interaction between instrumental motivation and phoneme type, indicating that a rise in instrumental motivation increases the likelihood of the correct perception of the vowel /æ/ and voiceless word-final obstruents. The results of the current study are discussed in light of the controversial role of integrative and instrumental motivation in L2 acquisition due to globalization.