Language and Working Memory Capacity in Early Adulthood: Contributions From First and Second Language Proficiency

The aim of this project was to investigate the impact of language proficiency (represented in first and second language) on working memory capacity. A sample of 100 college students from Virginia Tech University completed an on-line survey, performed 2 computer-based working memory capacity tasks (the OSPAN and the Letter Rotation) and had their first language (L1) as well as their second language (L2) proficiency tested. All participants were classified on a five-point likert scale from "poor" to "excellent". Verbal WMC (as measured by OSPAN) was associated with L2 proficiency. However, the L2 "excellent" group did not differ in their OSPAN from the remaining four groups of L2 proficiency classification. No correlation was found between the two WMC tasks.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Department dc:contributor.department

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Zaki, Hossam M.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Bell, Martha Ann

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Abraham, Jane L.
• Dunsmore, Julie C.
• Hoffman, Kurt A.

• working memory capacity
• early adulthood
• Language

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05262005-121026

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/27899