Assigning Grammatical Gender During Word Production

The present study was designed to examine the processes by which grammatical gender is assigned during word production. French words varied in strength of sublexical cues, based on whether the word ending was typical for one gender rather than neutral about gender, and lexical cues, derived from the associated definite article being uninformative about gender for words beginning with a vowel, but informative for words beginning with a consonant. In Experiment 1, when native French speakers classified the gender of mentally evoked names of pictures, no effects of these cues were obtained. Experiment 2 used an improved methodology, with participants classifying the gender of words translated from English. English-speaking learners of French were influenced strongly by lexical and sublexical cues, while French speakers showed a weaker influence. However, for both speaker groups, words whose gender was classified slowly during recognition were also classified slowly during production, and error rates were similarly correlated across tasks. The conclusion was that gender is not equally available for all words once the associated “lemma” is accessed. Current models of language production may have to incorporate mechanisms allowing differential speed of access to gender information depending on a word’s formal properties.     

Psychometric properties of a measure of psychological factors among francophone adolescent learners in a South African setting

This study reported on the psychometric properties of a prospective measure of psychological wellbeing among immigrant francophone adolescent learners in high schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. The sample size comprised 170 participants (females = 51%; age range 14 to 20 years). Scores from the measure were analysed for internal consistency and factorial structure. The evidence suggests scores from the measure to be reliable for measuring emotional regulation, aggressiveness, empathy, and sympathy among the immigrant francophone adolescent learners.     

Assessing the Effect of Language Demand in Bundles of Math Word Problems

Differential bundle functioning (DBF) analyses were conducted to determine whether seventh and eighth grade second language learners (SLLs) had lower probabilities of answering bundles of math word problems correctly that had heavy language demands, when compared to non-SLLs of equal math proficiency. Math word problems on each of four test forms (two at Grade 7 and two at Grade 8) were bundled together if they used the passive voice, conditional clause, relative clause, or a combination of any two. The results showed that the average total scores for SLLs was significantly lower than that for non-SLLs on each test form. However, only two bundles (passive voice and conditional clause at Grade 7 on Form 2) indicated statistically significant DBF against SLLs in favor of matched non-SLLs. An additional step was taken to determine whether the two bundles that showed statistically significant DBF against SLLs had biased the mean total scores for this group.The Walker, Zhang, Banks, and Cappaert (2012) procedure established for this purpose showed that this was not the case. Implications of the results are provided as well as suggestions for future research.     

汉语为二语学习者言语产生中的跨语言干扰

采用跨语言长时竞争启动范式探讨汉语为二语学习者言语产生中的跨语言干扰。实验1的被试选择18名俄语为母语者, 实验2选择18名日语为母语者。自变量是命名语言(一语和二语)和学习条件(学过一致、学过不一致和未学过), 因变量是测验阶段被试图片命名的反应时和正确率。实验分为学习阶段和测验阶段, 被试分别用一语和二语命名图片, 观察被试在测验阶段学过一致与学过不一致两种条件下是否都能产生促进效应。实验结果发现, 无论俄语为母语者还是日语为母语者, 被试只有在学过一致条件下的反应时显著快于未学过条件, 而学过不一致条件下的反应时跟未学过没有显著差异。本研究结果表明, 汉语为二语学习者言语产生中存在跨语言干扰, 且语言间书写特征的差异对跨语言干扰没有影响。     

晚期二语者句法加工过程的调节因素及其效应

针对晚期二语者句法加工能力的发展普遍存在困难这一现象, 近年来采用以ERP为核心技术的脑认知研究发现, 二语者的二语熟练度、一语和二语间具体的句法结构的相似程度、以及以工作记忆为核心的个体认知能力等因素起着各自独立而又相互影响的调节作用, 并且形成了浅层结构理论所主张的晚期二语者的句法加工与母语者有着本质差别的“定性说”与统一竞争模型所主张的晚期二语者和母语者在句法加工上没有本质差别的“量变说”两种理论分野, 二者的分歧集中表现为晚期二语者能否最终形成类母语水平的二语句法加工模式。为此, 需要开展以三个因素如何交互作用为主体的跨语言(二语与一语性质的多样性)研究。     

首、尾语素频率对中级印尼汉语学习者复合词识别的影响

通过词汇判断任务,探讨语素频率对中级印尼汉语学习者复合词识别的影响。研究结果发现,语素频率影响中级印尼汉语学习者复合词的识别。同时,语素频率对词汇识别的影响受到语素位置的调节。当语素为复合词的首语素时,语素频率高,词汇判断的正确率高;语素频率低,词汇判断的正确率低。当语素为复合词的尾语素时,语素频率对词汇判断正确率的影响受到首语素频率的限制。只有当首语素的频率高时,尾语素的频率才会影响词汇判断的正确率。当首语素的频率低时,尾语素的频率不影响词汇判断的正确率。研究结果支持中级印尼汉语学习者在复合词的表征中产生了语素表征,而且首语素的频率在复合词识别中发挥更重要的作用。     

策略型学习者认知心理结构及其运行机制

高效率学习是现代社会发展的需要,也是适应信息量急增的社会变革需要的必然选择。从教育心理学的视角研究策略型学习者,对其高效率学习心理,特别是高效率学习认知心理结构及其运行机制进行研究,有助于教育理论与实践工作者准确把握这类特殊教育对象的心理特点与规律,为开展策略型学习者教育提供了心理学依据。     

Can animation compensate for temporal processing difficulties in deaf people?

This article addresses the issue of animation as an aid for temporal processing difficulties in deaf people learning the Highway Code. A decision-making task involving static or animated road situations was performed by 21 deaf and 24 hearing participants. They were confronted with four types of driving situations (overtaking, negotiating roundabouts, highways, and intersections) and had to decide whether or not to proceed. Participants were presented with two different formats (static vs. animated) and two levels of difficulty (simple vs. complex). Results showed that deaf participants had poorer performances in the static condition than hearing participants. Performance was better in the animated condition than in the static condition, especially in deaf participants. The benefits of animation were greater in complex situations for all participants. Decisions made on dynamic road situations were facilitated by the presence of spatiotemporal dimensions. These proved helpful to deaf candidates who have difficulties in this particular area.