Mapping Research on Oral Communication Willingness in China: A Bibliometric Analysis

Oral communication willingness is a key variable in second language acquisition research, directly influencing learners’ willingness to engage in spoken interaction. To clarify the current status, hotspots, and frontiers of research in China, this study selects literature from CNKI and Wanfang databases between 2006 and 2026, and conducts knowledge mapping analysis using the visualization tool CiteSpace. The results show that publication output in this field has generally increased with fluctuations; Research hotspots center on learners’ psychological and emotional factors, classroom teaching environments, and different learner groups across educational stages. Emerging topics in recent years include foreign language enjoyment, second language grit, academic emotions, and mediating effects. Current research still faces challenges such as methodological uniformity and weak development of indigenous theories. Future studies should strengthen academic collaboration, enrich research methodologies, expand digital teaching contexts, and advance the construction of localized theoretical frameworks.