How Language Proficiency Reshapes Minds: Beliefs and Social Perceptions in High- vs. Low-Proficiency Learners

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2026.10.1.372

Abstract

Foreign language (FL) learning is influenced by both behavioral and motivational factors, with beliefs, proficiency, and social identity shaping learners’ perceptions, self-concept, and intergroup dynamics. This study investigates how FL proficiency influences beliefs and social perceptions about individuals involved in FL learning. The aim of the study is to identify differences in these beliefs between low- and high-proficiency FL learners, focusing on factors such as sociability, vitality, and intergroup bias. A semantic differential instrument was administered to 180 participants (90 low-proficiency and 90 high-proficiency FL learners) in Russia who rated individuals associated with various FL learning roles. Principal Component Analysis and pooled data methods were used to analyze the underlying dimensions of beliefs, while Spearman correlation coefficients examined relationships between constructs. Results revealed significant differences in belief structures: high-proficiency FL participants perceived high- and low-proficiency FL roles as more friendly, sociable, and active compared to low-proficiency FL participants. High-proficiency FL learners also exhibited in-group favoritism toward high-proficiency FL roles and out-group bias against low-proficiency FL roles. The findings suggest that FL proficiency shapes social perceptions, with high-proficiency FL learners appearing to hold more integrated and polarized views. This study highlights the dynamic nature of language learning beliefs and their implications for intergroup relations. The results underscore the need for growth mindset-based language education, anti-bias interventions to counter negative stereotypes of migrants with low language proficiency, strategies to mitigate linguistic elitism among advanced learners, and targeted support to help low-proficiency learners develop integrated cognitive frameworks about language learning.

Author Biography

Antonina Rafikova, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

Antonina Rafikova, PhD in Psychology, is a senior researcher at the Laboratory of Psychology of Speech and Psycholinguistics, Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia. Her research interests cover foreign language learning, collaborative learning, and human–AI interaction.

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Published
2026-04-17
How to Cite
Rafikova, A. (2026). How Language Proficiency Reshapes Minds: Beliefs and Social Perceptions in High- vs. Low-Proficiency Learners. Changing Societies & Personalities, 10(1), 28-49. doi:10.15826/csp.2026.10.1.372
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Vol. 10, No. 1 (2026)
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