ORCID

0000-0002-1718-4833

Date of Award

5-31-2024

Author's School

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Author's Department

Psychology

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Second language (L2) vocabulary learning is challenging for many would-be language learners, regardless of their cognitive abilities. The volume of to be learned vocabulary can be a roadblock to language fluency (Nation, 2006), especially for older adults who have diminished memory capabilities due to age-related memory decline, a degradation in our ability to remember information that naturally occurs as we age (Salthouse, 2009; Schaie, 1993). The process of L2 vocabulary acquisition can be separated into three components, the native language (L1) meaning of the new word (cat), the new L2 word form itself (gato) and the connection between the new word and its meaning (gato means cat; Barcroft, 2002; Kida & Barcroft, 2018). For young adults, there is little difference in their ability to encode and recall these three components, but prior research suggests older adults may struggle with forming a connection between the novel word and its meaning (Naveh-Benjamin, 2000). This dissertation is comprised of two experiments that examine younger and older adult L2 vocabulary learning. There were 4 aims: (1) compare younger and older adults on L1 item memory, L2 item memory, and L1-L2 associative memory during L2 vocabulary learning, (2) identify the relationship between episodic memory and L2 vocabulary learning, (3) identify the unique contributions of working memory to L2 vocabulary learning in older and younger adults, and (4) identify how receptive and productive retrieval practice affects long-term memory for L2 items and L1-L2 associative memory in older and younger adults. Experiment 1 addresses aims 1-3, which seek to understand L2 vocabulary acquisition and how each age group encodes the three components. Participants were first given a working memory test, followed by a learning task for L1-L2 and L1-L1 word pairs and three recognition tests (one for L1 items, one for L2 items, and one for L1-L2 word pairs). Results indicated no age-related differences in the ability to recognize L1 items, L2 items and L1-L2 items, and both age groups were better able to recognize L2 items compared to L1 items. Results also indicated working memory was related only to the L1-L2 pair recognition test with higher working memory leading to improved performance. While older adults did have poor working memory scores compared to young adults, there was no statistical difference between the age groups on L1-L2 pair recognition performance. These findings suggest that age-related cognitive decline may not have a significant impact on L2 vocabulary learning. Experiment 2 addressed aim 4 to examine how study method affected L2 vocabulary learning for both age groups. Participants were tasked with learning L1-L2 word pairs in one of three ways: repeated study, retrieval practice with a L2 target given an L1 cue, and retrieval practice with a L1 target given an L2 cue. After the learning session, participants were given the same three recognition tests as Experiment 1. Results indicated that retrieval practice and repeated study lead to equivalent performances for older adults, but young adults benefitted more from retrieval practice compared to repeated study. Additionally, for young adults retrieving the L1 word improved memory for the L1 item but retrieving the L2 item did not improve memory for the L2 item. These results suggest that retrieval practice may not be as an effective of a tool for older adults as it is for young adults for L2 vocabulary acquisition.

Language

English (en)

Chair and Committee

Mitchell Sommers

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