Title: The Pressure to Use Perfect English on Social Media: A Mixed-Method Study Among Gen Z in Vietnam
Authors: Bui Thuy Thuy Van , Hoang Thi Lan
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
Pages: 7-16
Publication Date: 2026/03/28
Abstract:
The evolution of social media and the internet has transformed our daily lives and caused a major shift in the way we think about learning, especially in the case of informal foreign language learning. Alongside its many benefits, there are also notable drawbacks. Specifically, foreign language anxiety and evaluative stress have moved from traditional classroom settings to online environments. The current research investigates perceived peer pressure, foreign language anxiety, and language self-censorship, and how these factors interact among Vietnamese Generation Z EFL learners. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach was used. Quantitative data from 100 non-English major undergraduates were collected first, followed by semi-structured qualitative interviews with 8 purposively selected participants. The quantitative results revealed that perceived peer pressure is relatively high and strongly correlates with both anxiety (? 0.719) and self-censorship behaviors (? 0.735). Qualitative findings illustrated an online culture of anonymous "grammar police" and linguistic shaming, which led to self-censorship (e.g., deletions, edits) and defensive behaviors of spatial segregation. This research demonstrates the complex role of social media in language learning and highlights the great need for safe social media spaces where learners can use and practice foreign languages without fear.