The current study investigated the relationship between metacognitive language learning strategy use and autonomy of 116 introvert and extrovert male and female undergraduate EAP students studying different disciplines in the faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities, who were selected through convenience sampling. Three instruments were employed for data collection purposes: Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (developed and validated by Oxford, 1990), Learners’ Autonomy Questionnaire (developed by Cotteralls, 1999; and validated by Soodmand Afshar and Bastami, 2012 for Iranian context), and Eyzenk’s Personality Questionnaire (developed and validated by Eyzenk & Eyzenk, 1985). Both descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e. Pearson Product Moment correlation, and Independent Samples t-test) through SPSS version 20 were applied for data analysis. The results of Pearson Product Moment correlation showed that there was a significant positive relationship between metacognitive language learning strategy use and autonomy of EAP students. Also, the results of Independent Samples t-test revealed there were significant differences between introvert and extrovert EAP students in their metacognitive language learning strategy use, with extroverts using significantly more metacognitive strategies than their introvert counterparts. In case of the learner autonomy, the results of Independent Samples t-test indicated that introvert and extrovert EAP students significantly differed, with extroverts showing higher levels of learner autonomy. The results and implications of the study are discussed in more detail in the paper.
