Foreign language perceptual curiosity: construct, measurement, and applications

Learning a language is a creative process. It involves novelty and imagination. While curiosity can be highly beneficial, research is limited. Studies so far conducted have explored epistemic curiosity as a trait-like disposition. In contrast, the current study focuses on perceptual curiosity (PC). PC is a situational response evoked by novelty, complexity and ambiguities in sensory stimulation. PC generates attention and prompts visual inspection and discovery. The purpose of the study was to develop a scale to measure PC in the context of foreign language learning. The scale was administered to a sample of 208 upper secondary students in Sweden learning a foreign language (French, German or Spanish). Reliability was assessed and validation procedures were conducted. Results of confirmatory factor analysis revealed a one-factor structure, indicating that the FLPC scale captures a unitary phenomenon. In future research using the FLPC scale, adaptation to fit contextual circumstances, and ongoing validation are highlighted. The broader value of PC is also considered. Three areas of applied linguistics are identified: (a) younger children's encounters, (b) orientations in linguistic landscapes, and (c) engagement with linguistic content in digital gaming. Design possibilities are discussed, and the limitations of the current research are identified.