The Nexuses between Social Intelligence and Foreign Language Anxiety: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

The major aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between Iranian advanced EFL learners' social intelligence and their foreign language anxiety. To fulfill this objective, ٩٣ (٥٠ Females and ٤٣ Males) university students who studied EFL at Sistan and Baluchistan university participated in this study by completing two instruments, Tromso Social Intelligence Inventory (Silvera et al., ٢٠٠١) and FLA scale (Horwitz et al, 1986). The results of Person Product moment correlation and Multiple Stepwise Regression analysis revealed that there was a moderate to high negative correlation between social intelligence subcomponents and foreign language anxiety. Likewise, among the three components of social intelligence, two of them, social skills and social awareness could act as a predictor of EFL learners' foreign language anxiety. Based on the results of this study and the fact that the role of anxiety in language learning couldn't denied, increasing learners' social intelligence seems necessary. The findings of the study can be of great use to teachers, text-book developers, curriculum designer and various organizations like Ministry of Education and language institutions.

کلیدواژه ها:

emotional intelligence ، anxiety ، EFL context