The dynamic relationship between enjoyment and anxiety in monologue communication tasks of Arab female EFL undergraduate students: an idiodynamic approach

The study is grounded in complex dynamic systems theory (CDST), which views foreign language learners’ emotions as dynamic, interrelated, and non-linear, fluctuating rapidly during communication. Prior work highlights the centrality of anxiety and enjoyment in FLL and their influence on cognition and performance. Using Levelt’s model of speech production, the authors argue that emotional fluctuations can disrupt conceptualization and formulation, leading to disfluencies. Traditional post-task questionnaires cannot capture such moment-to-moment variability. The research therefore applies an idiodynamic approach to examine within-person dynamics of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language anxiety (FLA) during short monologue tasks among Arab female EFL undergraduates, aiming to clarify how these emotions co-vary over time and what factors drive brief or sustained shifts.

The review traces the evolution from a focus on negative emotions (notably FLA) to a broader positive psychology lens emphasizing FLE and other emotions (e.g., boredom). FLA can both hinder and sometimes facilitate performance as a high-activation emotion, while FLE reflects engagement when challenge meets perceived ability. Evidence shows FLE and FLA are distinct, highly activating systems that may co-occur, converge or diverge over time rather than functioning as simple opposites. Idiodynamic studies in dyadic tasks reveal rapid emotional fluctuations linked to interpersonal factors, task design, topic familiarity, and cognitive-linguistic difficulties such as lexical retrieval. Research also documents the dynamicity of both FLA and FLE across timescales (seconds to months) and under different attractor states. In Arab/Saudi contexts, most studies have used static survey methods, leaving a gap in micro-longitudinal, real-time analyses. The present study addresses this by applying the idiodynamic method to Arab female learners in monologue tasks, focusing on second-by-second fluctuations and their antecedents.

Participants: Four Arab female EFL undergraduates (ages 20–23; M=21.25, SD=2.82) at a Saudi public university; native Arabic speakers with 9 years of school EFL and enrolled in a 4-year English language and translation program; no overseas immersion. Proficiency assessed via Oxford Placement Test (B2–C1). All shared similar educational and social backgrounds.

Task/Instrumentation: A 4-minute individual monologue (problem–solution format) on whether violent media promotes violent or aggressive behavior. Learners received 15 minutes of pre-task planning using a structured worksheet (instructions, problem descriptions, guiding questions). Sessions were video-recorded. The idiodynamic software captured second-by-second self-ratings of anxiety and then enjoyment while learners watched their performance playback. Definitions of anxiety and enjoyment were provided; a practice task and rating session familiarized participants with procedures and software.

Procedures: Each participant planned (15 minutes), performed the 4-minute monologue with a visible timer, and was video-recorded. They then rated anxiety per second, followed by enjoyment, using the idiodynamic tool (with visual feedback bars and auto-zero if no clicks). Data were exported to Excel. Stimulated recall interviews used overlaid rating graphs and replayed clips to probe reasons for rises/falls in emotions and to elicit overall performance evaluations. Interviews were video-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Quantitative (correlations between anxiety and enjoyment within person) and qualitative data were triangulated to identify factors driving emotional dynamics.

Validity/Reliability: The idiodynamic method provides fine-grained temporal alignment of self-reported emotion with performance moments; prior literature supports its reliability and convergent validity. Practice sessions and feedback aimed to reduce rating inconsistencies.

• Within-person correlation between anxiety and enjoyment (r): Student 1: −0.21; Student 2: −0.68 (p<0.01); Student 3: −0.43; Student 4: −0.26. Only Student 2 showed a significant strong negative association; others were weak and non-significant, indicating idiosyncratic emotional dynamics across the same task type.
• Per-student patterns and illustrative data: • Student 1: Average anxiety and enjoyment but high variability (anxiety M=0.13, SD=1.88; enjoyment M=0.05, SD=1.01). Anxiety spikes aligned with lexical retrieval challenges (longer pauses). Transition from problem to solution (≈86–117 s) reduced pauses, increased enjoyment. Mixed effects of planning: boosted confidence but constrained spontaneity; retrospective dissatisfaction with a lexical choice lowered enjoyment despite fluent delivery. • Student 2: Lower anxiety (M=−0.11, SD=0.87) and higher enjoyment (M=0.12, SD=0.71), with a strong negative correlation. Early segment (≈40–71 s) showed disorganization and high anxiety. Transition to solutions (≈81–110 s) increased enjoyment and lowered anxiety; pre-planned solution segments (≈190–225 s) yielded peak enjoyment/minimum anxiety, suggesting reduced conceptualization load and smoother formulation. • Student 3: Highest anxiety (M=0.19, SD=0.79) and lowest enjoyment (M=−0.16, SD=0.68). Anxiety increased toward the end under time pressure, disrupting conceptualization and formulation (longer pauses). Retrospective negative appraisal of a phrasing choice triggered embarrassment and decreased enjoyment without immediate fluency impact. • Student 4: Lowest anxiety (M=−0.18, SD=0.72), highest enjoyment (M=0.20, SD=0.56). Topic familiarity/personal experience increased enjoyment and fluency; precise lexical choice (e.g., “anti-violence”) produced pride and satisfaction. Concurrent enjoyment and anxiety sometimes co-occurred due to time constraints limiting elaboration; a late-segment lexical search increased anxiety.
• Cross-cutting factors identified via triangulation: (1) Task execution (pre-task preparation benefits and constraints; time pressure effects), (2) Task layout (problem–solution structure; topic/theme relevance), (3) Cognitive-linguistic processes (momentary breakdowns in conceptualization/formulation, especially lexical retrieval), and (4) Performance measure/retrospective appraisal (self-evaluation of linguistic choices triggering activating/deactivating emotions).

Findings show that FLE and FLA are distinct, dynamically fluctuating emotions that do not necessarily move in tandem during brief monologues. Only one learner showed a strong inverse relationship, underscoring individual differences even under identical task conditions. Task layout (predictable problem–solution structure) and personally meaningful content supported lower anxiety and greater enjoyment for some learners, whereas time constraints and cognitive-linguistic challenges (lexical retrieval, organizing ideas) triggered anxiety spikes and reduced enjoyment. Pre-task planning generally bolstered confidence and fluency (by easing conceptualization load) but sometimes constrained spontaneity, eliciting regret or a sense of restriction. Retrospective self-evaluations of word choice produced brief surges in positive or negative affect, illustrating achievement-outcome emotions interacting with ongoing speech processing. Overall, the results reinforce a CDST perspective: multiple interacting subsystems (task, cognition, emotion, performance evaluation) drive rapid, individualized emotional trajectories during L2 speech production.

The study advances understanding of the dynamic, within-person relationship between enjoyment and anxiety during EFL monologue tasks among Arab female undergraduates. Using idiodynamic ratings synchronized to performance and stimulated recall, it identifies four interacting factor sets—task execution, task layout, cognitive-linguistic processes, and performance-related appraisal—that shape moment-to-moment emotional shifts. Pedagogically, instructors can reduce anxiety and increase enjoyment by: (1) providing clear task structures (e.g., explicit problem–solution steps) while allowing experienced learners to craft their own outlines; (2) fostering emotional connections between task themes and learners’ prior knowledge/experiences; and (3) emphasizing accomplishments through post-task reflections and supportive nonverbal feedback during performance. These strategies can help optimize cognitive resources for speech processing and improve communicative outcomes. Future research should examine diverse pre-task planning techniques via idiodynamic designs and broaden the emotion set studied using multidimensional/ control-value frameworks.

• Small sample (n=4) limits generalizability; participants may struggle to articulate complex internal processes in interviews.
• Possible variability in understanding of anxiety/enjoyment constructs and in use of the rating software, despite definitions and practice.
• Emotion data were collected post-performance during video playback; in-task, real-time measures were not captured. Future work should triangulate with concurrent physiological monitoring, observational coding, and self-reports during tasks, and include larger samples for more robust inferences.