THE FIVE PREDICTORS OF WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE IN THE TURKISH CONTEXT: A META-ANALYSIS STUDY

Abstract

This thesis has been prepared to examine willingness to communicate and its relationship with its five predictors. Relational meta-analysis was used as a research method in the study. Correlational master's theses and doctoral dissertations between WTC and anxiety, motivation, ideal L2 self, attitude, and ought-to L2 self were included in the scope of the research. In the literature research process, a sum of 12 correlations from 7 studies involving 5611 participants within the scope of anxiety, 11 correlations from 6 studies involving 5465 participants within the scope of motivation, 8 correlations from 5 studies involving 2787 participants within the scope of attitude, 10 independent correlations from 5 studies involving 4130 participants within the scope of ideal L2 self, and 8 independent correlations from 4 studies comprising 2708 participants within the scope of ought-to L2 self were included in the study. A sum of 11 studies and a sample of 20,701 people were reached. At the same time, moderator analysis was carried out within the scope of research design and publication type. Moreover, meta-regression tests were employed out for the publication year of the studies. According to the results of the research; It has been determined anxiety affects students’ WTC negatively and moderately, motivation, attitude, and Ideal L2 self have a positive and moderate effect on students' WTC, and ought-to L2 self has a positive and small effect on students' WTC. Publication type showed a moderator effect both for the anxiety and motivation variables. The research design showed a moderator effect only for the anxiety variable among the five variables. According to the meta-regression tests results, publication year did not significantly affect the distribution of studies. Finally, suggestions were presented for teachers, educators, and researchers within the scope of the findings. Key words: meta-analysis, WTC, ideal L2 self, anxiety, motivation, attitude, ought-to L2 self.