Individual Differences Factors and Listening Comprehension: Examining the Roles of Aural Vocabulary Knowledge and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety

ABSTRACT Individual differences (IDs) factors have been found to affect listening comprehension, yet the interplay and relative contributions of these factors remain underexplored. The study examined three ID factors, i.e., receptive and productive aural vocabulary knowledge as core factors and foreign language listening anxiety as a peripheral factor, in relation to listening comprehension. Data collected from 157 Chinese university students were analyzed to elucidate the relationships among these variables. The results revealed that (1) receptive and productive aural vocabulary knowledge, both individually and combined, significantly predicted L2 listening comprehension; (2) foreign language listening anxiety exhibited a significant correlation with L2 listening comprehension; and (3) receptive and productive aural vocabulary knowledge mediated the effect of listening anxiety on listening comprehension. These findings highlight the different roles of ID factors and their interplay in determining listening success, providing implications for listening instruction and testing.