The Relationship between Locus of Control, Test Anxiety, Sex, and Listening Comprehension Test Performance of Iranian Undergraduate EFL Students

This study investigated the relationship between locus of control، test anxiety، sex and Iranian undergraduate EFL students'' listening test performance. The participants of this study were ninety-six (96) students at Islamic Azad University of Ghaemshahr at the intermediate level of listening proficiency who were all taking their listening/speaking course. At first the students took part in the listening section of the TOEFL (2003) test. Then they were given Rotter''s (1966، cited in Waddel، 1998) locus of control scale in order to determine whether they are internally or externally oriented. Also Sarason''s (1975، cited in In’nami، 2006) test anxiety scale was distributed to determine their level of test anxiety (high-mid-low). The results showed that students with internal locus of control outperformed those with an external locus of control orientation and that sex does not mediate the relationship between locus of control and listening test performance. The results also revealed that students with low level of test anxiety performed better than those with mid or high level of test anxiety; and that sex does not mediate the relationship between three degrees of test anxiety (high-mid-low) and listening test performance.