Chapter 1Introduction1
1.1Motivations for the Research2
1.1.1Rational for the Research on Aptitude Testing for Interpreting2
1.1.2Rational for the Research on Personality Hardiness3
1.1.3Rational for the Research on Interpreting Anxiety and
Self-efficacy4
1.2Research Significance6
1.3Research Questions8
1.4Research Methodology8
1.5Layout of the Book9 Chapter 2Literature Review11
2.1Working Definitions11
2.1.1Defining Aptitude11
2.1.2Aptitude, Ability, Intelligence and Personality12
2.2Overview of Aptitude for Foreign Language Learning13
2.2.1Foreign Language Aptitude14
2.2.2Foreign Language Aptitude and SLA Process15
2.2.3Affective Variables in SLA17
2.3Overview of Aptitude for Interpreting25
2.3.1Research at an Earlier Stage26
2.3.2Research in More Recent Time30
2.4Overview of Personality Hardiness36
2.4.1Construct of Personality Hardiness36
2.4.2Measurement of Personality Hardiness38
2.4.3Empirical Research on Personality Hardiness39 Chapter 3Personality Hardiness and Aptitude Testing for
Interpreting44
3.1Conceptualization of Personality Hardiness44
3.1.1Underpinning in Existential Courage45
3.1.2Dimensionality45
3.1.3Personality Hardiness Model47
3.2Aptitude Testing for Interpreting48
3.2.1Necessity of Aptitude Testing for Interpreting48
3.2.2Aptitude Testing Models for Interpreting50
3.2.3Personality Hardiness and Aptitude Testing for Interpreting54 Chapter 4Research on the Effects of Personality Hardiness on
Interpreting Performance:With Interpreting Anxiety and
Self-efficacy as Intermediates57
4.1Quantitative Research60
4.1.1Participants60
4.1.2Instruments62
4.2Qualitative Research68
4.2.1Participants69
4.2.2Semi-Structured Interview Guide69
4.2.3Procedures69
4.3Data Collection and Analysis70
4.3.1Data Collection70
4.3.2Data Analysis72
4.4Results of Quantitative Research73
4.4.1Correlations between the Variables73
4.4.2Predictive Validity of Personality Hardiness76
4.4.3Mediating/Moderating Effect of Interpreting Anxiety81
4.4.4Mediating/Moderating Effect of Self-efficacy89
4.5Results of Qualitative Research94
4.5.1Information Triangulation96
4.5.2Roles of Personality Hardiness99 Chapter 5Implications of Research on the Effects of Personality Hardiness on Interpreting Performance106
5.1Correlations between Personality Hardiness and Interpreting
Performance108
5.2Predicative Validity of Personality Hardiness on Interpreting
Performance112
5.3Mediating Effect of Interpreting Anxiety114
5.3.1Personality Hardiness and Interpreting Anxiety115
5.3.2Interpreting Anxiety and Interpreting Performance117
5.4Mediating Effect of Self-efficacy120
5.4.1Personality Hardiness and Self-efficacy121
5.4.2Self-efficacy and Interpreting Performance123
5.5Personality Hardiness in Aptitude Testing for Interpreting124 Chapter 6A Tentative Framework for Personality Hardiness
Measurement in Aptitude Testing for Interpreting129
6.1Personality Hardiness and Related Personality Traits in Interpreting
Aptitude129
6.1.1Personality Hardiness and Stress-Resistance130
6.1.2Personality Hardiness and Resilience131
6.1.3Personality Hardiness and Other Stress-Resistance Qualities132
6.2Incorporating Personality Hardiness in Aptitude Testing for
Interpreting134
6.2.1Significance of Incorporating Personality Hardiness into Aptitude
Testing for Interpreting134
6.2.2A Tentative Framework for Personality Hardiness Measurement137
6.3Measurement of Personality Hardiness in Aptitude Testing for
Interpreting140
6.3.1Measurement Procedures140
6.3.2Sub-components of Personality Hardiness142 Chapter 7Conclusion146
7.1Overview of the Research146
7.2Major Findings of the Research147
7.2.1Personality Hardiness and Interpreting Anxiety148
7.2.2Personality Hardiness and Self-efficacy148
7.2.3Personality Hardiness and Interpreting Performance149
7.2.4Personality Hardiness in Interpreting Aptitude150
7.2.5Personality Hardiness Measurement in Aptitude Testing for
Interpreting151
7.3Contributions of the Research152
7.4Limitations and Future Directions153 References155 Appendix AQuestionnaire for Student Interpreters176 Appendix BScript for English-Chinese Consecutive Interpreting
Test 182 Appendix CScript for Chinese-English Consecutive Interpreting
Test 184 Appendix DIn-depth Interview Guide 186List of Figures
Figure 2.1Foundational cognitive aptitude model（adapted from Macnamara
2012: 11）31
Figure 3.1Unidimensional conception of personality hardiness（Kobasa et al.
1982a）46
Figure 3.2A hierarchical multidimensional construct of personality hardiness
（Hystad et al. 2011）46
Figure 3.3The hardiness model for performance and health enhancement
（Maddi and Kobasa 1984）48
Figure 3.4Aptitude model for simultaneous interpreting by Chabasse
（cited in Chabasse et al. 2014: 22）51
Figure 3.5Aptitude testing model for interpreting by Xing（2015: 12）52
Figure 3.6Aptitude testing model for interpreting by Zha（2016: 59）53
Figure 4.1Geographical constitution of the participants61
Figure 4.2University distribution of the participants61
Figure 4.3Relations among PH, IA and IP75
Figure 4.4Relations among PH, SE and IP76
Figure 4.5Predictive power of PH on IA78
Figure 4.6Predictive power of PH on SE79
Figure 4.7Predictive power of PH, IA and SE on IP81
Figure 4.8Mediator model82
Figure 4.9Three-stepped regression analysis model（Wen et al. 2004: 617）83
Figure 4.10Hypothetical relations between PH, IA and IP84
Figure 4.11Mediation diagram of IA on PH and IP84
Figure 4.12Mediation diagram of IA on Perseverance and IP85
Figure 4.13Mediation diagram of IA on Commitment and IP86
Figure 4.14Mediation diagram of IA on Challenge and IP86
Figure 4.15Mediation diagram of IA on Control and IP86
Figure 4.16Path diagram of moderating effect87
Figure 4.17Hypothetical relations of SE, PH and IP90
Figure 4.18Mediation diagram of SE on commitment and IP91
Figure 6.1Stress-resistance qualities structure（Zhang et al. 2006: 49）132
Figure 6.2A tentative framework for PH measurement in interpreting
aptitude testing139
List of Tables
Table 2.1Definition and specification of language aptitude（Carroll 1981）14
Table 2.2SLA processing stages and potential aptitude components
（Skehan 2002: 90）16
Table 2.3An ideal interpreter’s profile across a 40-year span
（Russo 2011: 10）27
Table 2.4Aptitudes for interpreters（Szuki 1988: 111）28
Table 2.5Knowledge and aptitudes indicating interpreting proficiency
（López et al. 2007: 78）29
Table 2.6Tests administered by the schools participating in the 1965
Paris Colloquium（Russo 2011: 15）30
Table 2.7Aptitude tests among 18 postgraduate programs in conference
interpreting（Timarová and Ungoed-Thomas 2008）34
Table 2.8Skills tested by different test types among 10 Chinese universities
（Xing 2015）35
Table 4.1Distribution of participants by gender61
Table 4.2Distribution of participants by levels of universities62
Table 4.3Distribution of participants by provinces62
Table 4.4Internal consistency of Hardiness Scale63
Table 4.5Inter-correlations among the four dimensions of personality
hardiness64
Table 4.6Internal consistency of Interpreting Anxiety Scale65
Table 4.7Internal General Self-efficacy Scale66
Table 4.8Scoring criteria for interpreting performance67
Table 4.9Interrater consecutive interpreting68
Table 4.10Pearson correlations among PH, IA and IP73
Table 4.11Pearson correlations among PH, SE and IP75
Table 4.12Model summary of multiple regression analyses for IA77
Table 4.13Model summary of multiple regression analyses for SE78
Table 4.14Model summary of multiple regression analyses for IP79
Table 4.15Model summary of linear regression analysis for IP of IA80
Table 4.16Model summary of linear regression analysis for IP of SE81
Table 4.17Mediating effect test of IA on PH and IP84
Table 4.18Mediating effect tests of IA on four dimensions and IP85
Table 4.19Moderating effect test of IA on PH and IP87
Table 4.20Moderating effect test of IA on four dimensions of PH and IP88
Table 4.21Mediating effect test of SE on PH and IP90
Table 4.22Mediating effect test of SE on four dimensions of PH and IP91
Table 4.23Moderating effect test of SE on PH and IP92
Table 4.24Moderating effect test of SE on four dimensions of PH and IP93
Table 4.25Background information about the interviewees95
Table 4.26Interviewees’ scores in the questionnaire survey96