Longitudinal Trajectories of Emotions in Four Dimensions Through Language Advisory Sessions

Abstract

Through advising in language learning, this study describes two Japanese secondary school students’ (Ai and Yu: both pseudonyms) longitudinal trajectories of socioculturally mediated emotions in four dimensions. To investigate types of emotions, the research integrates multiple qualitative methods and Plutchik’s wheel of emotions, thus acknowledging both contextually complex and longitudinally dynamic aspects of emotions. Throughout a year of 19 advisory sessions, the amount of time spent was 1,263 minutes (Ai’s 12 sessions = 891 minutes; Yu’s 7 sessions = 372 minutes), and the number of emotional incidences identified was 358 (201 for Ai; 157 for Yu). Among multiple findings, the most notable was that both participants experienced convergence of emotions: the one process from diversified to less diversified emotions was caused by longitudinal dynamics of emotions in Ai’s case and by contextual complexity of emotions in Yu’s case. The study concludes by suggesting a tentative four-dimensional model of emotions to capture trajectories of advisees’ emotions from multiple perspectives. This model can help advisors to understand advisees’ emotionality and, therefore, to implement emotional support appropriately and continuously.