An Exploration of the Relationship Between Motivation and Boredom Attribution in Korean University Students’ EFL Learning

The present study explored the relationship between motivation and boredom attribution in learning English as a foreign language in Korea. Participants were university students majoring in the English language and literature. Ninety-one participants responded to a questionnaire probing their motivation and perceived boredom precursors in English learning. Motivation and perceived boredom precursors were operationalized by three motivational factors (integrative/intrinsic, instrumental-social status, instrumental-desired career) and two boredom precursors (being over-challenged, lack of meaning). Bivariate correlation analysis showed that lower integrative/intrinsic motivation and instrumental-desired career motivation were associated with greater boredom attribution to both types of precursors whereas the instrumental-social status motivation was not significantly related to any type of boredom attribution. Stepwise multiple regression analyses further suggested that the instrumental-desired career motivation acts more like the integrative/intrinsic motivation than the instrumental-social status motivation especially in relation to boredom arising from lack of meaning. The findings suggested a complicated pattern of links between motivation and boredom, offering theoretical and pedagogical implications for how to better address boredom in EFL learning.