Exploring foreign language anxiety and resting-state EEG alpha asymmetry

Anxiety experienced when interacting in a foreign language hinders communication through detrimental behavioral, cognitive, and somatic effects. Despite its impact, there is limited research on how neural asymmetry relates to foreign language anxiety (FLA). While researchers have investigated FLA through brain imaging, there remains an absence of studies examining its correlation with frontal alpha asymmetry. Understanding FLA in the context of frontal alpha asymmetry is significant because it can reveal specific neural mechanisms underlying this anxiety. We investigated the associations between listening and speaking FLA – across behavioral, cognitive, and somatic domains – and participants’ resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) signals prior to verbal interactions in a foreign language. The results revealed that significantly higher right-left frontal alpha asymmetry was associated with greater reported FLA in most listening and all of the speaking domains. This study offers insight into the neural processes in connection with FLA, highlighting the significance of frontal alpha asymmetry as a potential neural marker for understanding and addressing its unique challenges.