This document discusses personality types and learning styles. It outlines several common learning style categories such as extroversion/introversion, risk-taking, field independence/dependence, and visual/auditory/kinesthetic learners. Several personality and learning style assessments are also described, including the Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, True Colors Assessment, and Multiple Intelligences Test. The conclusion states that while personality traits may facilitate certain tasks, there is no evidence any single trait predicts overall language learning success, which depends more on teaching methods and how students approach learning. Personality is best understood in the context of how different factors contribute to the learning situation.

1. 12.8 Personality and Learning Style
Rachel Christie
Thursday, March 31, 2011

2. Learning Style
• Preferences an individual has of obtaining, processing, and retaining
information
• Interchangeable with personality, but more variable.
• No theoretical limit to the number types

3. An Outline of Basic Types of Styles
• Extroversion and Introversion
• Risk Taking
• Field Independence and dependence
• Modality: Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic

4. You and every one else fits into a category, but research shows we fit
into more than one at the same time.

5. 12.8.1 Extroversion and Introversion

6. Extroverts Introverts
• Outgoing, overtly expressive people • Shy, reticent, and typically self-
centered people
• Concerned with external things or
objective considerations • Concerned with their own thoughts
and feelings rather than external
• Some expect extroverts to be better things
at learning another language
because they are more willing to • Some expect introverts to be better
engage in a conversation and take at learning another language
risks with the language because they are more comfortable
with books and more likely to study
• Wherever I go, I develop personal on their own. (Shekan,1989)
contacts. (Oxford, 1993)

7. 12.8.2 Risk Taking
Defined as “a situation where an individual has to make a decision involving
choice between alternatives of different desirability; the outcome of the
choice is uncertain; there is a possibility of failure” (Beebe, 1983)

8. Risk Taking
• Language learning involves a • Studies reinforce idea that
willingness to take risks personality affects SLA is much
more local manner, and less long-
• Beebe (1983): risk taking was term success
greatest between a bilingual child
and a monolingual interviewer; • Based on general behavior
willingness depends on the situation
• Kahneman, et al (1982): risk-averse
• Ely (1986): correlation between risk- when contemplating a gain, risk-
taking tendencies & classroom seeking when contemplating a loss
participation, but relationship with
actual success was weak • Gain and loss are subjectively
determined, not objective

9. 12.8.3 Field Independence/
What do you see?
dependence

10. Field Independence
• Better able to notice details • Tend to be highly analytic,
outside of the prevailing visual ignoring potentially confusing
object information in the context, and
self-reliant
• Better able to find objects in the
middle of the clutter • Better at analytic tasks for second
language learning
• Johnson, Prior and Artuso (2000)
report they are better at • I not only attend to grammar but
performing cognitive tasks check for appropriate level of
formality and politeness. (Cohen)

11. Field Dependence
• Dependent on a prevailing visual • Should help in the social
field, so they cannot see interactions of second language
something right in front of them learning
• The “field” gets in the way • Context provides much of the
meaning that is missing in just the
actual linguistic text itself.
• Chapelle (1995): FDs have
orientation more interpersonal and
more sensitive to the social • When there’s a lot of information
context that comes with what I need to
learn, it’s hard to tell what’s most
important. (Ehrman, 2003)
• Predicted to be more sensitive to
implicit feedback and benefit more
from interactions

12. The Embedded
Figures Test
• Subjects asked to find simple
geometric figures within a
more complex background
• Measures ability & style, but
maybe just style
• Fluid ability: skills independent
of any content area;
Correlation shown to general
analytic ability
• Language analytic ability &
general analytic ability
• Theoretically flawed and
unusable for SLA?

13. 12.8.4 Visual/auditory/kinesthetic
Most students can fit themselves into one of the three categories listed below,
but few are limited to one category. It has been found that when a learner
applies at least two of these modalities, they are most successful, and more
adaptive to different styles of teaching.

14. Visual Learner
• Take in information visually.
• Reading is preferred to
listening. Blackboard use or
Powerpoint presentations are
preferred to straight lectures.
• They might rewrite lecture notes
using color codings or other
visual organizational schema.
• I learn more by reading
textbooks than by listening to

15. Auditory Learner
• Prefer to take in information
auditorily.
• They prefer listening to reading.
Lectures are an effective means
of absorbing information.
• They prefer to talk through
material and even have text
read out loud.
• I learn better in class when the
teacher gives a lecture. (Reid,

16. Kinesthetic Learner I enjoy making
something for a
class project.
• Better when the whole body is
involved or when objects can be
manipulated, such as in lab work.
• Movement is a key issue and
frequent breaks are necessary, as
is moving while repeating/
memorizing information important.
• Might stand out because of
stereotypically high energy levels.

17. 12.8.5 Obtaining learning style information
There are several available examinations and assessments and each is
better for different situations. Some are more focused on classroom learning,
while others take into account your life and future outside of the classroom.
Has anyone taken a learning style or personality assessment?

18. Perceptual Learning
Style Preference
Questionnaire
Known for its high reliability and
validity, this test is used as the
standard for non-native
speakers and puts people into
eight different categories called
“major learning style
preferences” by answering thirty
questions with different levels
agree or disagree.

19. Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI)
Brought on by the theories of Carl
Jung, this assessment measures
the psychological preferences in
how people perceive the world
and make decisions using 88 or
93 forced-choice questions. This
creates 16 types showing
lifestyle, attitude, and auxiliary

20. True Colors
Assessment
This assessment is based on
the four human temperaments
and is focused on character and
personality - live, habits,
motivation, values, and feelings.
This is most effective for groups
as it seeks to foster mutual
understanding by helping
communication.

21. The Multiple
Intelligences Test
Shows how which of the eight
types of intelligence listed by
Gardner (with a few others being
considered) a student fits into and
allows a teacher to use different
exercises and activities to serve all
of the students. Many schools
have used this to encourage the
development of different

22. Conclusion
• No evidence for any personality trait that predicts overall success in
second language learning
• Some traits are more helpful than others in completing certain tasks
• Value of traits depends on how important the facilitated tasks may be
• Most information depends on teaching methods the students are
subjected to and the particular way the student goes about learning
another language
• Personality is better investigated within the context of the contributions
learners, teachers, methods, and materials make to the learning situation

23. Questions?