From motivation to emotion: a new chapter in applied linguistics research

Within the field of applied linguistics, research into language learner motivation has been high on the research agenda for some years. At the same time, another psychological construct - emotion - has been the victim of significant neglect, and is almost absent from the same research agenda. This review first traces the development of motivation research from the early work of Gardner and Lambert (1959) through to the recent focus on Dörnyei's (2005, 2009) L2 Motivation Self System and the most current emphasis on Dynamic Systems Theory (Dörnyei, 2009; Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008), before progressing to the slowly building canon of literature on emotions in applied linguistics, which has 'trickled-down' from mainstream and educational psychology. A comprehensive overview of the existing literature on emotions will be provided including a strong rationale for why a focus on language learner emotions should be stronger. Finally, recommendations for future research in the area of applied linguistics and language education will be put forward.