LOS ESTEREOTIPOS SOBRE ESPAÑA EN ESTUDIANTES DE ELE Y LA INFLUENCIA DEL CONTACTO CON LA CULTURA META
STEREOTYPES ABOUT SPAIN AMONG SFL LEARNERS. THE INFLUENCE OF CONTACT WITH THE TARGET CULTURE

Summary/Abstract: This paper is framed within the field of teaching and learning Spanish as a foreign language (ELE) and its culture. The objective of this research is to examine how the periods of immersion and contact with the target culture contribute to the consolidation or eradication of stereotypes. To this end, the perceptions of Spanish culture and Spaniards among 279 adults of Italian, Greek, and Albanian origin who are studying Spanish as a foreign language are analysed. Some participants have spent time in Spain for varying lengths, while the rest have never visited the country. To collect data, a questionnaire used by previous researchers in other geographical contexts was adapted. Statistical analysis was then carried out using SPSS. Among the main findings, a significant relationship was identified between favourable attitudes toward Spaniards and length of stay in Spain. It is observed that a longer period of immersion tends to reinforce the stereotypes about Spaniards, but also to modify other stereotypes about the culture. The results invite teachers to reflect on the need to design socio-affective strategies to prevent culture clashes, promote the development of intercultural competence, and enhance the integration of the sociocultural component in the Spanish as a foreign language classroom.

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