10.57647/jals.2025.0501.01

The Impact of Machiavellianism on EFL Reading Comprehension: The Role of Reading Comprehension Test-Taking Strategies Instruction

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  • Hayder Yousif Hussein1,
  • Hossein Ahmadi*2,
  1. Department of English Language Teaching, ST. C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
  2. Department of English Language, Mal. C., Islamic Azad University, Malayer, Iran

Received: 2025-04-22

Revised: 2025-06-23

Accepted: 2025-07-20

Published in Issue 2025-09-30

Copyright (c) 2025 Hayder Yousif Hussein, Hossein Ahmadi (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Hussein, H. Y., & Ahmadi, H. (2025). The Impact of Machiavellianism on EFL Reading Comprehension: The Role of Reading Comprehension Test-Taking Strategies Instruction. Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.57647/jals.2025.0501.01
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Abstract

Understanding the psychological traits influencing second language reading comprehension is a critical focus in applied linguistics research. However, the role of Machiavellianism in reading comprehension is unexplored. Therefore, this study scrutinized the impact of Machiavellianism behaviour on Iraqi EFL learners’ reading comprehension. Furthermore, the study aimed to  explore the usefulness of reading comprehension test-taking strategies instruction for Machiavellianism lower-level and higher-level learners. The study followed a quasi-experimental  design. Through convenience sampling, a total of 42 male students were chosen to participate in the study. The students’ first language was Arabic. Oxford Quick Placement Test was utilized to ensure the homogeneity of participants, who were at intermediate EFL proficiency level. The MACH-IV, a 20-item scale developed by Christie and Geis, was employed to gauge the participants’ level of Machiavellianism. The reading section of a paper-based TOEFL was utilized to measure the participants’ EFL reading comprehension. Moreover, the Reading  comprehension test-taking strategies presented in ‘Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test ‘ were taught to the Participants as treatment. SPSS version 26 was used to analyse the  data. The results of independent samples t-test revealed no significant difference between the Machiavellianism higher-level Group and the Machiavellianism lower-level Group in relation to  EFL Reading Comprehension. Besides, the results of ANCOVA revealed that Reading comprehension test-taking strategies instruction did not affect reading comprehension of EFL learners  with lower and higher levels of Machiavellianism differently. These findings offer theoretical insights into the limited role of personality traits in reading comprehension and suggest  pedagogical implications about reading strategies instruction.  

Keywords

  • Higher-Level Mach; Lower-Level Mach; Machiavellianism; Reading Comprehension; Reading Comprehension Test-Taking Strategies
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