the effect of regulatory focus orientations on iranian efl learners’ speaking fluency and willingness to communicate

The regulatory focus theory, a classic self-regulatory approach, posits that human behavior is significantly influenced by salient standards and reference points that are either situation-dependent or chronically accessible in a person’s mind. this study examined the impact of regulatory focus orientations, namely prevention and promotion, on the willingness of iranian efl learners to communicate in an english class. we selected 48 upper-intermediate-level students via the oxford placement test. these students were divided into three groups: promotion-focused, prevention-focused, and control. the promotion-focused group was encouraged through positive reinforcement of their success and accomplishments when using correct linguistic features during class. conversely, the prevention-focused group was immediately corrected when a linguistic error occurred to avoid further mistakes, and no praise was given for correct language use. the control group received no intervention. results derived from a one-way anova demonstrated a significant relationship between the regulatory focus orientation and students’ willingness to communicate. efl learners exposed to promotion techniques demonstrated a higher willingness to communicate. the paper concludes with a discussion on the theoretical implications and pedagogical applications of the study.