This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cultural identity and language learning achievement among EFL learners in Iraq. The study included 120 intermediate level EFL learners who were studying English at language institutes in Iraq. Both male and female learners within the age range of 18 to 24 were included in the study to increase the validity and generalizability of the findings. The instruments used in the study were a language identity questionnaire and a language achievement test. The results of statistical analysis showed that there is a statistically significant negative correlation between cultural identity and achievement test scores of learners. Therefore, we can conclude that there is a statistically significant negative correlation between cultural identity and achievement test scores of learners. This means that as cultural identity increases, achievement test scores tend to decrease. It is important to note that correlation does not necessarily mean causation, so we cannot say that cultural identity is causing lower achievement test scores. There are several possible justifications for this finding. Stereotype threat is the fear of confirming a negative stereotype about one's identity group. When students are aware of negative stereotypes about their cultural group, they may feel pressure to disprove the stereotype, which can lead to anxiety and decreased performance on tests. For example, if a student from a certain cultural group is aware that their group is stereotyped as being less intelligent, they may feel pressure to perform well on a test to disprove the stereotype. This pressure can lead to anxiety and decreased performance on the test.
