Motivational Constructs as Antecedents of International Posture

Abstract

The process of globalization has paralleled the emergence of the phenomenon of “international posture”, defined as an interest in international affairs, willingness to interact with intercultural partners, and openness toward different cultures. Previous studies have indicated the interrelationships between the concept and L2 motivation in general, as well as various motivational constructs. The aim of the study is to determine which motivational constructs (motivated learning behaviour, the Ideal L2 self and Willingness to Communicate) and to what extent are antecedents of International Posture among English major university students in Serbia. The results revealed that while more than a third of the variance of International Posture can be explained by the model comprised of the three factors, only the concept of the Ideal L2 self emerged as an antecedent of this dependent variable. The findings provide important insights into the nature of International Posture of the participants, thus carrying some pedagogical implications.