Procedural and Declarative Memory in the Acquisition of Morphological Knowledge: A Model for Second Language Acquisition in Adults

摘要: Although there is a dominant notion that adults have reduced and rather less effective language learning ability, ample evidence suggesting the acquisition (learning) retention (long-term memory) of procedural (skills) as well declarative (facts, singular events) non-linguistic knowledge are robust in healthy adults. We investigated effects intensive, multi-session training on an artificial morphological rule (AMR) adults, tested whether key characteristics skills recognizable linguistic learning. The AMR constituted phonological transformations verbs expressing semantic distinction, was applied to repeated new items. All participants learned apply items, demonstrating memory including group-average power-law like improvement speed accuracy, gains evolving both within-session between-sessions (consolidation phase), retention. generalization items evolved separately for aspects AMR. Phonological were rapidly generalized by all participants, independently explicit (declarative) knowledge. However, aspect required discovery its requisite role, not universally attained; when attained, additional resulted further proceduralization phase. Our results show highly competent acquiring retaining knowledge, with systems contributing differentially distinct at different stages along mastering skilled performance. This line growing body as, often better than, children skills.