Exploring Motivational Dynamics in EFL Classroom Contexts: A Focus on Attractor States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31963/rial.v4i2.6448Keywords:
Motivational dynamics, Attractor States, CDST, EFL ClassroomsAbstract
In Second Language (L2) research, motivation has often been conceptualised as a stable learner characteristic, largely independent of contextual influences. Drawing on the perspective of the Complex Dynamics System Theory (CDST), this study conceptualises motivation as a complex and dynamic phenomenon involving multiple cognitive and affective components of L2 learning. While previous CDST-informed studies have acknowledged the dynamic nature of L2 motivation, limited research has examined how stable and changing motivational patterns emerge and evolve within authentic EFL classroom settings, particularly in diverse higher education contexts. It explores the in-class motivational experiences of EFL learners across three Indonesian universities. Eight focal students participated in a series of interviews following classroom observations. This design ensures ecological validity by examining their motivation without removing them from classroom contexts. The findings reveal both stability and variability in attractor states, including engagement, interest, neutral attention, boredom, and anxiety, while motivational narratives and contextual factors contribute to dynamic fluctuations across classroom experiences. Students’ self-concepts emerged as a core mechanism underlying these motivational dynamics, extending CDST-informed understandings of L2 motivation and suggesting that supporting learners’ self-concepts may help sustain motivation in EFL classrooms.References
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