Exploring vocabulary-related epistemological beliefs with Q-methodology

Abstract

In recent decades, a significant amount of research has focused on understanding the motivation behind the adoption of certain vocabulary learning strategies by some learners and not by others. This has involved investigating numerous variables, including amongst others learner aptitude, motivation, the role of the teacher, and self-efficacy beliefs. In this paper, attention was given to exploring vocabulary-related epistemological beliefs, in an effort to understand which epistemological belief dimensions were more or less favoured by 40 Italian university learners of English as a foreign language. Using a technique known as Q-methodology, the investigation revealed that although the participants shared many vocabulary-related epistemological beliefs, there were also some important differences among learners. These particularly related to how dependent learners were on an external source of knowledge and their views on the certainty of knowledge.