The Effects of Task Complexity on Heritage and L2 Spanish Development

Author(s):  
Julio Torres
Keyword(s):  
2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Solon ◽  
Avizia Y. Long ◽  
Laura Gurzynski-Weiss

This study tests the theoretical predictions regarding effects of increasing task complexity (Robinson, 2001a, 2001b, 2007, 2010; Robinson & Gilabert, 2007) for second language (L2) pronunciation. Specifically, we examine whether more complex tasks (a) lead to greater incidence of pronunciation-focused language-related episodes (LREs) and (b) positively impact accuracy of phonetic form during task completion. Seventeen dyads of intermediate L2 Spanish learners completed simple (+few elements) and complex (-few elements) information-gap map tasks in which the pronunciation of Spanish vowels was made task essential through the inclusion of minimal pair street names (e.g.,Calle Copa“Copa Street” andCalle Capa“Capa Street”). Results revealed no statistical difference in learner-produced pronunciation-related LREs in the simple and complex tasks. Vowel production, however, moved in a targetlike direction for one of five segments (/e/) during the complex task. Results therefore point to some benefits of task complexity manipulations for L2 pronunciation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Titze ◽  
Martin Heil ◽  
Petra Jansen

Gender differences are one of the main topics in mental rotation research. This paper focuses on the influence of the performance factor task complexity by using two versions of the Mental Rotations Test (MRT). Some 300 participants completed the test without time constraints, either in the regular version or with a complexity reducing template creating successive two-alternative forced-choice tasks. Results showed that the complexity manipulation did not affect the gender differences at all. These results were supported by a sufficient power to detect medium effects. Although performance factors seem to play a role in solving mental rotation problems, we conclude that the variation of task complexity as realized in the present study did not.


2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Lyons ◽  
Davin Pavlas ◽  
Heather C. Lum ◽  
Stephen M. Fiore ◽  
Eduardo Salas

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth H. Lazzara ◽  
Davin Pavlas ◽  
Stephen Fiore ◽  
Eduardo Salas
Keyword(s):  

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