SEX-DIFFERENCES IN SELF-REPORTED BELIEFS ABOUT FOREIGN-LANGUAGE LEARNING AND AUTHENTIC ORAL AND WRITTEN INPUT

This study examined differences in the self-reports of men and women regarding their attitudes, beliefs, strategies, and experience in language learning. Nine hundred and thirty-eight students of Spanish at two large institutions responded to a questionnaire that had previously yielded 11 stable factors (Bacon & Finnemann, 1990). Through discriminant analysis, we could distinguish between the responses of men and women on two language-learning factors (LL), two dealing with authentic input (AI), and two exposure variables. The discussion includes a justification for using discriminant analysis as a statistical tool in second-language attitude and belief research.