Bouffier Marion, Barbu Cristina, Majerus Steve
University of Liège, Liège, BE.
Fund for Scientific Research - F.R.S.-FNRS, Brussels, BE.
Psychol Belg. 2020 Sep 4;60(1):270-293. doi: 10.5334/pb.525.
Numerous studies have shown a consistent relationship between verbal working memory (WM) and native-language as well as non-native language learning abilities. However, the role of attentional abilities has been rarely explored, although these abilities have been shown to be associated both with verbal working memory and oral language proficiency. This study investigated the association between WM, attention and language proficiency in young adults raised with three different languages (Luxembourgish, German and French). Auditory-verbal WM abilities were assessed via an immediate serial recall task. Attentional abilities were assessed via auditory-verbal and visuo-spatial attentional tasks. Using a Bayesian correlational approach, we observed robust evidence for an association between auditory-verbal WM abilities and non-native language proficiency. At the same time, we observed no reliable evidence in favor of an association between language proficiency and auditory-verbal/visuo-spatial attentional measures. These results suggest that auditory-verbal WM and non-native language proficiency are strongly linked in young multilingual adults, irrespective of auditory-verbal or visuo-spatial attentional abilities.
众多研究表明，言语工作记忆（WM）与母语以及非母语学习能力之间存在一致的关系。然而，注意力能力的作用却很少被探究，尽管这些能力已被证明与言语工作记忆和口语能力都有关联。本研究调查了使用三种不同语言（卢森堡语、德语和法语）长大的年轻人的工作记忆、注意力与语言能力之间的关联。通过即时系列回忆任务评估听觉言语工作记忆能力。通过听觉言语和视觉空间注意力任务评估注意力能力。使用贝叶斯相关方法，我们观察到有力证据表明听觉言语工作记忆能力与非母语能力之间存在关联。同时，我们没有观察到可靠证据支持语言能力与听觉言语/视觉空间注意力测量之间存在关联。这些结果表明，在年轻的多语言成年人中，听觉言语工作记忆与非母语能力紧密相连，无论听觉言语或视觉空间注意力能力如何。
