The Role of Foreign Language Emotions in the Relationship Between International Posture and Communicative Outcomes: A Mediated SEM Approach

This study investigated the role of International Posture as a predictor of key individual difference variables in foreign language learning, specifically foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), willingness to communicate (WTC), and self-perceived communication competence (SPCC). Using data from n = 368 international multilingual adult language learners, a structural equation modelling approach tested both direct and indirect effects of International Posture on WTC and SPCC through FLE and FLCA. Results indicated that International Posture positively predicted FLE, WTC, and SPCC, while negatively predicting FLCA. Furthermore, both FLE and FLCA partially mediated the effects of International Posture on WTC, and FLCA also mediated the relationship between International Posture and SPCC. These findings highlight the importance of learners’ global orientations and affective experiences in shaping communicative behaviour. The study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the nomological network of International Posture and the inclusion of affective variables within this network.