An Analysis of English Majors' Writing Anxiety

Abstract

Writing anxiety constitutes a significant affective barrier affecting second language acquisition and academic writing performance among English majors. As AI-assisted writing tools increasingly integrate into learning environments, exploring their multidimensional characteristics and behavioral associations holds considerable importance. This study employs a quantitative research methodology, utilizing the Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI) to survey 75 English majors. It aims to address the following questions: What are the overall levels of students' writing anxiety and the differences across its dimensions? Are demographic factors correlated with anxiety levels? Do high-anxiety students exhibit stronger writing avoidance behaviors, potentially indicating latent dependence on AI tools? What relationships exist between physiological/cognitive anxiety and evaluative anxiety? Results indicate that students' overall writing anxiety is moderately high, with cognitive and behavioral dimensions being most prominent. Among demographic factors, only grade level significantly influences cognitive anxiety. Highly anxious students exhibited significant writing avoidance tendencies, indirectly suggesting potential reliance on AI tools to alleviate anxiety; evaluation anxiety showed significant positive correlations with both cognitive and physiological anxiety. This study provides empirical evidence for understanding the structure and behavioral manifestations of writing anxiety in the digital age, offering insights for instructional interventions and technology integration.