scholarly journals Costs and Benefits of Native Language Similarity for Non-native Word Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viorica Marian ◽  
James Bartolotti ◽  
Aimee van den Berg ◽  
Sayuri Hayakawa
Keyword(s):  
Word Learning ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Pattern Learning ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Similar Word ◽  
Initial Acquisition ◽  
L2 Vocabulary ◽  
Surprising Finding ◽  
First Words

The present study examined the costs and benefits of native language similarity for non-native vocabulary learning. Because learning a second language (L2) is difficult, many learners start with easy words that look like their native language (L1) to jumpstart their vocabulary. However, this approach may not be the most effective strategy in the long-term, compared to introducing difficult L2 vocabulary early on. We examined how L1 orthographic typicality affects pattern learning of novel vocabulary by teaching English monolinguals either Englishlike or Non-Englishlike pseudowords that contained repeated orthographic patterns. We found that overall, the first words that individuals learned during initial acquisition influenced which words they acquired later. Specifically, learning a new word in one session made it easier to acquire an orthographically similar word in the next session. Similarity among non-native words interacted with native language similarity, so that words that looked more like English were easier to learn at first, but they were less effective at influencing later word learning. This demonstrates that although native language similarity has a beneficial effect early on, it may reduce learners' ability to benefit from non-native word patterns during continued acquisition. This surprising finding demonstrates that making learning easier may not be the most effective long-term strategy. Learning difficult vocabulary teaches the learner what makes non-native words unique, and this general wordform knowledge may be more valuable than the words themselves. We conclude that native language similarity modulates new vocabulary acquisition and that difficulties during learning are not always to be avoided, as additional effort early on can pay later dividends.

scholarly journals Bilingualism as a desirable difficulty: Advantages in word learning depend on regulation of the dominant language

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1052-1067 ◽  
Author(s):  
CARI A. BOGULSKI ◽  
KINSEY BICE ◽  
JUDITH F. KROLL
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Study Strategy ◽  
Dominant Language ◽  
Desirable Difficulties ◽  
English Translations ◽  
New Hypothesis

Bilingualism imposes costs to language processing but benefits to word learning. We test a new hypothesis that relates costs in language processing at study to benefits in learning at test as desirable difficulties. While previous studies have taught vocabulary via bilinguals’ native language (L1), recent evidence suggests that bilinguals acquire regulatory skill in the L1 to coordinate the use of each language. We hypothesized that L1 regulation underlies the observed costs and benefits, with word learning advantages depending on learning via the L1. Four groups learned novel Dutch words via English translations: English monolinguals, and English–Spanish, Spanish–English, and Chinese–English bilinguals. Only English–Spanish bilinguals demonstrated a word learning advantage, but they adopted a costly study strategy compared to monolinguals. The results suggest that bilingual advantages in vocabulary learning depend on learning via the L1 or dominant language because learning via the L1 allows bilinguals to engage regulatory skills that benefit learning.

scholarly journals Semantic and phonological schema influence spoken word learning and overnight consolidation

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 1469-1481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktória Havas ◽  
JSH Taylor ◽  
Lucía Vaquero ◽  
Ruth de Diego-Balaguer ◽  
Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recognition Memory ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Spoken Word ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Initial Acquisition ◽  
Spoken Words ◽  
L2 Spanish ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Novel Words

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-hr intervening period that included overnight sleep or daytime awake. Our results showed (1) benefits of sleep to recognition memory that were greater for words with L2-like phonology and (2) 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.

Heterogeneous Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19: Costs and Benefits

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony D Mancini
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
Mental Health Functioning ◽  
Health Functioning ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mental Health Costs ◽  
Long Term Impact

In this commentary, I argue that the mental health impact of COVID-19 will show substantial variation across individuals, contexts, and time. Further, one key contributor to this variation will be the proximal and long-term impact of COVID-19 on the social environment. In addition to the mental health costs of the pandemic, it is likely that a subset of people will experience improved social and mental health functioning.

The Acceptance of Party Unity in Parliamentary Democracies

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Willumsen
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Parliamentary Democracies ◽  
Survey Questions ◽  
Ideal Policy ◽  
Central Argument ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Policy Incentives

The central argument of this book is that voting unity in European legislatures is not primarily the result of the ‘disciplining’ power of the leadership of parliamentary parties, but rather the result of a combination of ideological homogeneity through self-selection into political parties and the calculations of individual legislators about their own long-term benefits. Despite the central role of policy preferences in the subsequent behaviour of legislators, preferences at the level of the individual legislator have been almost entirely neglected in the study of parliaments and legislative behaviour. The book measures these using an until now under-utilized resource: parliamentary surveys. Building on these, the book develops measures of policy incentives of legislators to dissent from their parliamentary parties, and show that preference similarity amongst legislators explains a very substantial proportion of party unity, yet alone cannot explain all of it. Analysing the attitudes of legislators to the demands of party unity, and what drives these attitudes, the book argues that what explains the observed unity (beyond what preference similarity would explain) is the conscious acceptance by MPs that the long-term benefits of belonging to a united party (such as increased influence on legislation, lower transaction costs, and better chances of gaining office) outweigh the short-terms benefits of always voting for their ideal policy outcome. The book buttresses this argument through the analysis of both open-ended survey questions as well as survey questions on the costs and benefits of belonging to a political party in a legislature.

scholarly journals Serial monogamy benefits both sexes in the biparental convict cichlid

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Snekser ◽  
Murray Itzkowitz
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Brood Size ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Serial Monogamy ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Amatitlania Nigrofasciata ◽  
Males And Females

Monogamy can be either long-term or serial, with new pairs formed with each breeding bout. Costs and benefits are associated with each strategy. Because biparental convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) typically switch mates, exhibiting serial monogamy, we tested for the costs associated with forcing individuals to remain with the same mate. Convict cichlids were observed over two successive breeding bouts, either with the same or a new, equally experienced, mate. Parental behavior did not differ between breeding bouts, nor did brood size. Surprisingly, fish that remained with their original partner for a second bout took significantly longer to produce a brood compared to fish that paired with new partners. New partners were also more likely to successfully produce a second brood than re-mated partners. This is in contrast to the majority of bird studies that show many benefits to staying with the same partner for multiple broods. In convict cichlids, there seems to be no benefit associated with remaining with the same partner and switching mates reduces duration between broods for both males and females, potentially increasing overall reproductive success.

scholarly journals The Effect of Incremental Changes in Phonotactic Probability and Neighborhood Density on Word Learning by Preschool Children

2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1689-1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly L. Storkel ◽  
Daniel E. Bontempo ◽  
Andrew J. Aschenbrenner ◽  
Junko Maekawa ◽  
Su-Yeon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Multilevel Modeling ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Neighborhood Density ◽  
Affect Recognition ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Phonotactic Probability ◽  
Sound Sequence

Purpose Phonotactic probability or neighborhood density has predominately been defined through the use of gross distinctions (i.e., low vs. high). In the current studies, the authors examined the influence of finer changes in probability (Experiment 1) and density (Experiment 2) on word learning. Method The authors examined the full range of probability or density by sampling 5 nonwords from each of 4 quartiles. Three- and 5-year-old children received training on nonword–nonobject pairs. Learning was measured in a picture-naming task immediately following training and 1 week after training. Results were analyzed through the use of multilevel modeling. Results A linear spline model best captured nonlinearities in phonotactic probability. Specifically, word learning improved as probability increased in the lowest quartile, worsened as probability increased in the mid-low quartile, and then remained stable and poor in the 2 highest quartiles. An ordinary linear model sufficiently described neighborhood density. Here, word learning improved as density increased across all quartiles. Conclusion Given these different patterns, phonotactic probability and neighborhood density appear to influence different word learning processes. Specifically, phonotactic probability may affect recognition that a sound sequence is an acceptable word in the language and is a novel word for the child, whereas neighborhood density may influence creation of a new representation in long-term memory.

Ecological Distribution, Agricultural Trade Liberalization, and IN SITU Genetic Diversity

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Boyce
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Agricultural Trade ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
The North ◽  
Agricultural Trade Liberalization ◽  
Agricultural Imports ◽  
World Food Security

Genetic diversity in crop plants is crucial for long-term world food security. This diversity is sustained in the field primarily by poor farmers in developing countries, who receive no compensation for providing this external benefit to humankind. When agricultural imports displace local production in centers of genetic diversity, this threatens both rural livelihoods and the continued provision of this external benefit. The North American Free Trade Agreement’s impact on Mexican maize farming illustrates the problem. The prospects for remedial policies are shaped by the distribution of the costs and benefits of action of inaction.

After-Action Reviews and Long-Term Performance: An Experimental Examination in the Context of an Emergency Simulation

2020 ◽  
pp. 001872082095884
Author(s):  
Gonzalo J. Muñoz ◽  
Diego A. Cortéz ◽  
Constanza B. Álvarez ◽  
Juan A. Raggio ◽  
Antonia Concha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Practice Session ◽  
Filler Task ◽  
Skill Retention ◽  
Initial Acquisition ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
After Action Reviews ◽  
Term Performance

Objective The present study examined the effectiveness of after-action reviews (AARs; also known as debriefing) in mitigating skill decay. Background Research on the long-term effectiveness of AARs is meager. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted an experimental study that also overcomes some research design issues that characterize the limited extant research. Method Eighty-four participants were randomly assigned to an AAR or non-AAR condition and trained to operate a PC-based fire emergency simulator. During the initial acquisition phase, individuals in the AAR condition were allowed to review their performance after each practice session, whereas individuals in the non-AAR condition completed a filler task. About 12 weeks later, participants returned to the lab to complete four additional practice sessions using a similar scenario (i.e., the retention and reacquisition phase). Results The performance of participants in the AAR condition degraded more after nonuse but also recovered faster than the performance of participants in the non-AAR condition, although these effects were fairly small and not statistically significant. Conclusion Consistent with the limited research on the long-term effectiveness of AARs, our findings failed to support their effectiveness as a decay-prevention intervention. Because the present study was conducted in a laboratory setting using a relatively small sample of undergraduate students, additional research is warranted. Application Based on the results of the present study, we suggest some additional strategies that trainers might consider to support long-term skill retention when using AARs.

Word knowledge, learning and acquisition in a second language: Proposed replications of Elgort (2011) and Qiao and Forster (2017)

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Irina Elgort
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Word Knowledge ◽  
L2 Word Learning ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
To Come ◽  
Prime Lexicality Effect ◽  
The Mind ◽  
L2 Vocabulary

AbstractWhat does it mean to learn a word? How can we tell when a sequence of letters or sounds becomes a word in the mind of the learner? While many second language (L2) vocabulary teaching and learning studies continue to use traditional vocabulary tests to measure learning (such as multiple choice, translation, gap-fill), these measures tend to come short when researchers want to address theoretical questions about the nature of L2 word knowledge. In the present paper, I argue for conceptualising word learning as lexicalisation, which necessitates the use of alternative approaches to measuring learning. I then propose approximate and conceptual replications of two theoretically motivated L2 word learning studies, Elgort (2011) and Qiao and Forster (2017), that used the Prime Lexicality Effect as a measure of lexicalisation of deliberately learned L2 words.

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