The document discusses a study that investigated how adults learn a new language structure called an "information-integration perceptual category structure". 15 native English speaking adults learned the category structure with their working memory either taxed or intact. Their implicit learning skills were assessed using a Procedural Memory task and explicit learning skills using a Declarative Memory task. Significant correlations found were an inverse correlation between procedural memory and learning accuracy, and a positive correlation between working memory and learning performance. The results suggest adults may still rely on explicit learning even for structures thought to require implicit learning.

1. The Role of Memory in Adult Language Acquisition
Carolyn Quam, Alisa Wang, Andrew Lotto, and LouAnn Gerken
Motivation Discussion
Funding
It’s been argued that certain language structures—like
grammatical and phonological rules—must be learned
implicitly, where learning is not available to conscious
awareness (Ref. 8). This has implications for groups that
struggle to learn language, such as adult second-
language learners. Adults have more access to explicit
learning resources than young infants (Ref. 3), and this
may inhibit their ability to learn new language structures.
One type of structure that has been demonstrated to be
best learned via implicit means is the “information-
integration” perceptual category structure, in which two
perceptual dimensions must be integrated in order to
learn the category boundary (Ref. 2). Here, we
investigate whether adults’ success at integrating two
dimensions to learn such a category structure is better
predicted by their implicit-learning skills (assessed via a
Procedural Memory task) than by their explicit-learning
skills (assessed via a Declarative Memory task). Adults
learn the category structure while their working-memory
resources are either taxed or intact, since taxing working
memory has been shown to reduce reliance on explicit
learning and promote implicit learning (Ref. 2). Thus, we
also assess working-memory capacity (since taxing
working memory could impact people differently
depending on their working-memory capacity).
NIH award F32 HD065382-01A1 to CQ.
NSF grant 0950601 to LAG.
Carolyn Quam
cmquam@email.arizona.edu
Participants
Contact
Significant correlations:
(1) Inverse correlation between procedural
memory and category-learning accuracy (r =
-0.78, p < .005)
(2) Positive correlation between working
memory and cue balance (r =0.79,
p<0.0005).
Adults could still be trying to learn the
categories explicitly, which explains the
inverse correlation of procedural memory
and the potential positive correlation of
declarative memory. It is also possible that
we are unable to currently detect other
correlations due to the limited number of
participant data we currently have.
1. Daneman, M. & Carpenter, P.A. (1980).
Individual differences in working memory and
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Behavior, 19, 450-466.
2. Filoteo, J.V., Lauritzen, S., Maddox, W.T.
(2010). Removing the Frontal Lobes: The Effects
of Engaging Executive Functions on Perceptual
Category Learning. Psychological Science, 21,
415-423.
3. Jones, E.J.H., Herbert, J.S. (2006). Exploring
Memory in Infancy: Deferred Imitation and the
Development of Declarative Memory. Infant and
Child Development, 15, 195-205.
4. Lum, J.A.G., Conti-Ramsden, G., Page, D.,
Ullman, M.T. (2012). Working, declarative and
procedural memory in specific language
impairment. Cortex, 48(9), 1138-1154.
5. Maddox, W.T. & Ing, A.D. (2005). Feedback
Disrupts the Procedural-Learning System but Not
the Thesis-Testing System in Perceptual Category
Learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology:
Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 31(1), 100-107.
6. Misyak, J.B., Christiansen, M.H., Tomblin, J.B.
(2010). Sequential Expectations: The Role of
Prediction-Based Learning in Language. Topics in
Cognitive Science, 2(1), 138-153.
7. Quam, C., Lotto, A., Golisch, K., Gallegos, C.,
Gerken, L. (2015). Why are Infants Precocious
Language Learners? Implications for Adult
Second-Language Learning. BUCLD 39
Proceedings.
8. Ullman, M.T. (2004) Contributions of memory
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References
Results
Auditory Stimuli
low F2 (Vowels) high
“ooh” “ee”
2576 Hz
104 Hz
295 Hz
956 Hz
Methods
ParadigmTrials Feedback
ResponseStimulus
Working Memory Task
Array Probe Response
High
PITCH
low
Sound
CategorizationTask
DeclarativeMemory
Assessment
Immediate Recall
Story
Type your
response below:
Delayed Recall
Type your
response below:
Response Response
Was Anna
robbed on
State Street?
Question Response
WorkingMemory
Assessment
Trials
Sentence Response
“Try to get at least 80%
accurate.” Your current
accuracy is:
80%
Feedback Letter Recall
Type your response below
Letter 1:
Letter 2:
Letter 3:
Letter
ProceduralMemory
Assessment
!
pel wadim jic
vot benez rud
Trials
!
pel wadim jic
vot benez rud
!
pel wadim jic
vot benez rud
StimulusStimulus Stimulus Response ResponseResponse
“The boy put out
the fire with a
bucket full of
promises”
“Anna
Thompson
of south
Boston…”
“G”
“vot”15 native English speaking participants tested in a
foreign language context with working memory taxed.
“wadim” “rud”