Dumnova N.I.
MANIFESTATION OF PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Abstract. The article is devoted to studies of personality traits immersed in a foreign language learning. The relevance of the research is explained by increasing role of multilingualism in the modern world and the need to understand psychological phenomena in the context of linguistic development. The article presents the results of researches aimed at studying the influence of personality traits on the effectiveness of mastering a second language, as well as the influence of bilingualism on cognitive processes. Researchers pay more attention to personality qualities that contribute to the effective acquisition of the linguistic material, and psychological barriers preventing the latter. Of particular interest are studies of anxiety and personality traits such as conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion on the effectiveness of language acquisition (L. Woodrow), the relationship between characteristics and attitudes to the language being studied (J. Pourfeiz), psychoticism and academic achievement (G. Blickle, V.V. Busato, Goh M. & Moore C.) and others.
It is noted that modern psychological researches are developing towards studying changes in language learners personal characteristics while learning and using a foreign language (N. Ramírez-Esparza). The theory of professional bilingualism in Russia (E.Y. Bekasova) confirms the assumption about the influence of learning a foreign language on the formation of personality qualities, leading to the emergence of biculturality, manifested in typical personal characteristics.
Researches show that learning a foreign language not only promotes the development of thinking flexibility and language abilities, but is also one of the factors causing personal changes in a foreign language learner.
Key words: bilingualism, intensive study of foreign languages, language barriers, motivation, personal characteristics.