Your mind says one thing but your emotions do another: Language, Emotion, and Developing Transculturality in Study Abroad

Studies have shown that linguistic outcomes in study abroad are often varied and we may not know why. Students frequently discuss destabilizing emotions experienced abroad, and the research shows that how adult language learners' conceptualize emotion in second language (L2) learning contexts can be the cause of internal struggle and emotional insecurity. These struggles with emotion and emotional experience can be better understood when considering students' goals with study abroad and language learning, as well as how they view themselves and others. The current paper reports on two qualitative case studies that I conducted with American undergraduate students who were studying abroad in Marburg, Germany for one year. Scholars interested in sociocultural approaches to SLA should find this study relevant to ongoing discussions of language learning, emotion, and the development of transculturality, since investigating these links contributes to a broader understanding of second language learning and development as socially-situated.