Semantic and phonological schema influence spoken word learning and overnight consolidation

We studied the initial acquisition and overnight consolidation of new spoken words that resemble words in the native language (L1) or in an unfamiliar, non-native language (L2). Spanish-speaking participants learned the spoken forms of novel words in their native language (Spanish) or in a different...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Havas, Viktória, Taylor, J. S. H., Vaquero Zamora, Lucía, Diego Balaguer, Ruth de, Rodríguez Fornells, Antoni, Davis, Matthew H.
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2018
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/135637
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/135637
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Aprenentatge
Adquisició del llenguatge
Son
Learning
Language acquisition
Sleep
Description
Summary:We studied the initial acquisition and overnight consolidation of new spoken words that resemble words in the native language (L1) or in an unfamiliar, non-native language (L2). Spanish-speaking participants learned the spoken forms of novel words in their native language (Spanish) or in a different language (Hungarian), which were paired with pictures of familiar or unfamiliar objects, or no picture. We thereby assessed, in a factorial way, the impact of existing knowledge (schema) on word learning by manipulating both semantic (familiar vs. unfamiliar objects) and phonological (L1- vs. L2-like novel words) familiarity. Participants were trained and tested with a 12-hour intervening period that included overnight sleep or daytime awake. Our results showed; i) benefits of sleep to recognition memory that were greater for words with L2-like phonology; ii) that learned associations with familiar but not unfamiliar pictures enhanced recognition memory for novel words. Implications for complementary systems accounts of word learning are discussed.