A Study Of Non-english Majors' Speaking Anxiety Based On Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Speaking anxiety,as one of the most important emotional factors affecting spoken language learning,has always plagued Chinese English learners.In recent years,the study of speaking anxiety has received extensive attention.However,research on speaking anxiety at home and abroad remains to be enriched.Cognitive Dissonance Theory is proposed by Leon Festinger in the late 1950 s to explain the connection between attitude and behavior.The essence of the theory is: when the individual's own inner attitude or awareness of something and behaviors are inconsistent,there will be a psychological sense of insecurity.This kind of insecurity is called “cognitive dissonance” in psychology.Based on the theoretical basis of cognitive dissonance in psychology,this paper investigates the anxiety of Chinese English learners,conducts a questionnaire survey of 200 non-English majors,and uses SPSS software for data analysis.The study finds that the inconsistency between expectations of university life and the status quo of university life,outdated teaching methods,social conventions formed by Confucian culture,students' incorrect learning motivation,learning goals,and learning methods lead to inconsistency between the students' old and new cognition,which results in the generation of speaking anxiety.Based on the research findings,it is hoped that the study has pedagogical implications for spoken English learning and teaching.