Investigating short-term and long-term memory influences on language processing

使用复杂的语言代码进行交流的能力是人类独有的特征，也是一种对认知要求很高的特征。语言科学的一个核心问题是理解涉及学习的一般领域认知系统如何与专门处理语言相关刺激的可能的特定领域机制相互作用。我的研究计划的长期目标是通过调查支持语言学习的认知机制，特别是工作记忆和长期记忆的作用来解决这一主题。工作记忆是认知工作空间，是存储和处理当前注意力焦点内信息的能力。这种即时记忆系统对于呈现刺激的快速编码、信息的外显保留和处理以及将注意力集中在相关材料上非常重要。虽然工作记忆对学习很重要，但对处理语言尤其重要，因为口头信息是通过简短而消失的声学代码传递的，这对即时记忆提出了很高的要求。然而，工作记忆机制和学习之间的共同和独特的联系，或者更具体地说，语言习得，仍然知之甚少。另一方面，长时记忆可以长时间、甚至无限期地存储信息。长期记忆通过无意识或内隐的机制保留与单词、规则和口头约定相关的语言知识，尽管语言知识也被明确地存储。随着长时记忆知识库的增长，已存储信息和新信息之间的联系可能有助于获取，减少对即时工作记忆过程的需求。然而，这种学习效应的机制和时间过程尚未得到系统的研究。很明显，对工作记忆和长期记忆在支持语言处理中的作用进行彻底的研究是必要的。我的研究计划通过对刺激特性、进展和连接这些记忆系统和语言结果的认知过程的综合评估来解决这一知识差距。具体而言，我的研究计划的短期目标如下：首先，我的研究将通过探索幼儿在语言和其他领域的记忆相关认知过程与学习结果之间的关系，研究支持一般或更具体的语言学习的工作记忆和长期记忆过程。我的第二个和第三个目标将是检查工作记忆和长期记忆在处理基于声音或意义的语言信息中的作用，以及成人和儿童群体的外显和内隐学习。我的第四个短期目标是通过比较不同年龄组的表现来评估所研究关系的发展变化，包括语言系统仍在发育的儿童和已经发展出复杂语言系统的成年人。本研究项目的结果将对语言习得和语言处理领域做出重要贡献，提供对语言学习重要的基本记忆相关过程的独特贡献的关键见解。这些发现将在工作记忆、长期记忆、语言处理和学习领域提出重要的理论进展，使加拿大在这些领域处于思想的前沿。

The ability to communicate using a complex linguistic code is a uniquely human trait, and a cognitively demanding one. A central question in the science of language is to understand how domain-general cognitive systems implicated in learning interact with possible domain-specific mechanisms specialized in processing language-related stimuli. The long-term goal of my research program addresses this theme by investigating the cognitive mechanisms supporting language learning and, in particular, the role of working memory and long-term memory. Working memory is the cognitive workspace, the capacity to store and manipulate information within the current focus of attention. This immediate memory system is important for rapid encoding of presented stimuli, explicit retention and processing of information, and focusing attention on relevant material. Although important to learning generally, working memory may be especially crucial to processing language because spoken messages are delivered using a brief and vanishing acoustic code that places high demands on immediate memory. Nevertheless, the common and unique links between working memory mechanisms and learning generally, or language acquisition more specifically, remains poorly understood. Long-term memory, on the other hand, stores information for long periods, perhaps indefinitely. Long-term memory retains language knowledge related to words, rules, and verbal conventions through unconscious or implicit mechanisms, although language knowledge is stored explicitly as well. As the knowledge base in long-term memory grows, associations between stored and new information may facilitate acquisition reducing the demands on immediate working memory processes. The mechanisms and time course of such learning effects, however, have yet to be investigated systematically. It is clear that a thorough investigation of the role of working memory and long-term memory in supporting language processing is necessary. My research program addresses this knowledge gap by proposing a comprehensive evaluation of the stimulus properties, progression, and cognitive processes that link these memory systems and language outcomes. Specifically, the short-term goals of my proposed research program are as follows: First, my research will investigate the working memory and long-term memory processes supporting learning generally or language more specifically by exploring the relationships between memory-related cognitive processes and learning outcomes in language and other areas in an epidemiological sample of young children. My second and third goals will be to examine the role of working memory and long-term memory in the processing of sound- or meaning-based linguistic information, and explicit and implicit learning in both adult and child groups. My fourth short-term goal will assess the developmental changes in the relationships under study by comparing the performance of the different age groups including children whose language systems are still developing, and adults who have developed sophisticated language systems already. The results of this research program will make an important contribution to fields of language acquisition and language processing by providing key insights into the unique contributions of fundamental memory-related processes important to language learning. The findings will suggest important theoretical advancements in the areas of working memory, long-term memory, language processing, and learning placing Canada at the forefront of thinking in these areas.