Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective

This study reports on the results of a multi-method investigation on second language (L2) demotivation among Moroccan Learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) learners from the perspective of Alienation Theory. A total of 97 Moroccan students with varied majors from a university in East China...

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Main Authors: Fei Peng, Qiuyue Lou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1471486/full
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author Fei Peng
Qiuyue Lou
author_facet Fei Peng
Qiuyue Lou
author_sort Fei Peng
collection DOAJ
description This study reports on the results of a multi-method investigation on second language (L2) demotivation among Moroccan Learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) learners from the perspective of Alienation Theory. A total of 97 Moroccan students with varied majors from a university in East China took part in a questionnaire survey. Then Semi-structured interviews were applied to collect the data. Through Pearson’s correlations, a multiple regression and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) analysis approach, this study found that L2 demotivation prevailed among the participants, influenced by an array of social isolation or estrangement-mediated and normlessness-mediated factors among classic four alienators. Students at different L2 demotivation levels reacted to alienators differently. Students from the high demotivation group suffered most across all four demotivators, but such gaps appeared most substantially in social isolation or estrangement, followed by meaninglessness, and then powerlessness. No significant difference was found between average demotivators and low demotivators in powerlessness and meaninglessness. Qualitative findings contextualized these results, identifying institutional pressures and sociocultural barriers as key mechanisms driving motivational attrition. The study advances theoretical understanding of L2 demotivation in transnational educational contexts and provides actionable strategies for fostering inclusive CFL pedagogies.
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spelling doaj-art-d7de073fda034f52ba8a0c36871e0f612025-08-20T03:11:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-06-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.14714861471486Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspectiveFei PengQiuyue LouThis study reports on the results of a multi-method investigation on second language (L2) demotivation among Moroccan Learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) learners from the perspective of Alienation Theory. A total of 97 Moroccan students with varied majors from a university in East China took part in a questionnaire survey. Then Semi-structured interviews were applied to collect the data. Through Pearson’s correlations, a multiple regression and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) analysis approach, this study found that L2 demotivation prevailed among the participants, influenced by an array of social isolation or estrangement-mediated and normlessness-mediated factors among classic four alienators. Students at different L2 demotivation levels reacted to alienators differently. Students from the high demotivation group suffered most across all four demotivators, but such gaps appeared most substantially in social isolation or estrangement, followed by meaninglessness, and then powerlessness. No significant difference was found between average demotivators and low demotivators in powerlessness and meaninglessness. Qualitative findings contextualized these results, identifying institutional pressures and sociocultural barriers as key mechanisms driving motivational attrition. The study advances theoretical understanding of L2 demotivation in transnational educational contexts and provides actionable strategies for fostering inclusive CFL pedagogies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1471486/fullL2 demotivationMoroccan CFL learnersalienation theorymediational factorsformulating mechanism
spellingShingle Fei Peng
Qiuyue Lou
Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective
Frontiers in Psychology
L2 demotivation
Moroccan CFL learners
alienation theory
mediational factors
formulating mechanism
title Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective
title_full Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective
title_fullStr Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective
title_short Investigating the demotivation of Moroccan CFL learners from an alienation theory perspective
title_sort investigating the demotivation of moroccan cfl learners from an alienation theory perspective
topic L2 demotivation
Moroccan CFL learners
alienation theory
mediational factors
formulating mechanism
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1471486/full
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AT qiuyuelou investigatingthedemotivationofmoroccancfllearnersfromanalienationtheoryperspective