A Review of EFL Learners’ Motivation Under Organismic Integration Theory: Future Directions

Background/purpose. This study conducts a systematic review of research articles related to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ motivation under Organismic Integration Theory (OIT) in the early 2020s (between 2020 and 2024), based on PRISMA statement 2020 (Page et al., 2021), to find out about what recent trends in research on EFL learners’ motivation under OIT are, and what types of methodology have been employed for studies in this field.

Materials/methods. Relevant studies in the early 2020s were selected from various sources using Boolean operators to capture recent trends in EFL learners’ motivation based on inclusion criteria: (i) EFL learners’ motivation, (ii) OIT or SDT (Self-determination Theory) as a theoretical framework, and (iii) diverse EFL settings (e.g., Asia, Europe, etc.), and exclusion criteria: (i) studies focusing on non-EFL contexts, and (ii) review articles. Information from the selected studies was synthesized and described by using content analysis.

Results. The findings revealed that research on EFL learners’ motivation has been developing across Asia (Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Turkey, and Vietnam). SDT and OIT have been increasingly employed in research on EFL learners’ motivation. With OIT and SDT frameworks, there have been more mixed- methods and qualitative than quantitative approaches.

Conclusion. The review provides insights into empirical studies on EFL learners’ motivation under OIT or SDT and implies future directions: (i) more investigation into the complexity of EFL learners’ motivation, (ii) longitudinal research is a significant gap, and (iii) qualitative methods like phenomenology and grounded theory seem absent in this area.

Keywords: EFL learners’ motivation, motivation continuum, organismic integration theory, OIT, SDT

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