An Investigation on the Relationship between EFL Learners’ Personality Type and their Translation Styles

Much research has been done on the importance of paying attention to individuals in the language classroom. It is stated that the student’s personality type can describe why they learn and perform differently in educational setting; hence it seems that taking the importance of the effect of EFL learners’ personality types on the process of learning a foreign language can be beneficial for learners.Considering the importance of learners’ personality, the purpose of the present study is to investigate whether EFL learners with different personalities (introvert vs. extrovert) follow different styles (strategies or patterns) in their essay translations. In other words, this study is to determine whether personality type factor, e.g. extroversion and introversion, affect in some way on EFL learners’ styles of translations.The sample population of this study consisted of 24 students that are chosen from Iranian EFL learners who are studying for B.A degree in English Translation major at Fasa Payamenur University. (To increase accuracy of statistical procedures, i.e., t-test, only twenty of them were selected as the main participants.)Results of group statistics show that introvert and extrovert students have performed differently in translating improved prose course. Obviously, the extrovert group outperformed the introvert one, but the results of independent sample t-test show that the observed difference wasn’t significant. All in all, it can be concluded that although the dominant role of psychological factors in EFL learners' performance can’t be neglected, the results of this study don’t prove a significant role to Extroversion and Introversion dichotomy on EFL learners' translating performance.