Implicit Learning in Production: Productive Generalization of New Form–Meaning Connections in the Absence of Awareness

TY - JOUR

T1 - Implicit Learning in Production

T2 - Productive Generalization of New Form–Meaning Connections in the Absence of Awareness

AU - Bovolenta, Giulia

AU - Williams, John N.

N1 - © 2022 The Authors

PY - 2022/12/1

Y1 - 2022/12/1

N2 - Second language implicit learning research has shown that a variety of linguistic features can be acquired without awareness. However, this research overwhelmingly uses comprehension tests to measure implicit learning. It remains unclear whether newly acquired implicit knowledge can also be recruited for production. To address this question, we developed a novel paradigm based on elicited recall and false memory that was used to both train participants and test their implicit knowledge in production, including generating new instances of the rule. Participants learned a semiartificial language containing a rule based on one in a natural language (the alternation between Czech spatial prepositions v and na). Participants who remained unaware of the rule, as assessed by verbal report, nevertheless were able to use it in a production test involving novel items, while believing that they were performing a cued recall test. Even without extensive training, newly acquired implicit knowledge can immediately be evident in production.

AB - Second language implicit learning research has shown that a variety of linguistic features can be acquired without awareness. However, this research overwhelmingly uses comprehension tests to measure implicit learning. It remains unclear whether newly acquired implicit knowledge can also be recruited for production. To address this question, we developed a novel paradigm based on elicited recall and false memory that was used to both train participants and test their implicit knowledge in production, including generating new instances of the rule. Participants learned a semiartificial language containing a rule based on one in a natural language (the alternation between Czech spatial prepositions v and na). Participants who remained unaware of the rule, as assessed by verbal report, nevertheless were able to use it in a production test involving novel items, while believing that they were performing a cued recall test. Even without extensive training, newly acquired implicit knowledge can immediately be evident in production.

KW - implicit learning

KW - language production

KW - elicited recall

KW - false memory

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85143395856&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/lang.12551

DO - 10.1111/lang.12551

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85143395856

SN - 0023-8333

JO - Language Learning

JF - Language Learning

ER -