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Verbal memory resources predict iconic gesture use among monolinguals and bilinguals*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2013

LISA SMITHSON  and
ELENA NICOLADIS
LISA SMITHSON*
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Department of Psychology
ELENA NICOLADIS
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Department of Psychology
*
Address for correspondence: Lisa Smithson, Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P2-17 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9Canadasmithson@ualberta.ca
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Abstract

Researchers have speculated that gesture use may be linked to working memory capacity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the architectures of working memory differ among monolinguals and bilinguals, and to investigate whether individual differences in working memory predict gesture use. Participants relayed a narrative and their gesture production was assessed. Working memory capacity was tested using the Automated Working Memory Assessment (Alloway, 2007). The results provide evidence for different working memory architectures among monolinguals and bilinguals. Additionally, verbal memory significantly predicted iconic gesture use in both language groups, although in slightly different ways. These results are discussed with respect to the functional roles that working memory and gestures serve among monolingual and bilingual populations.

Keywords

working memorygesturesbilingualism
Type
Research Notes
Information
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , October 2013 , pp. 934 - 944
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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Footnotes

*

We would like to thank all the participants. Angele Fournier conducted the French sessions. Anonymous reviewers provided valuable feedback to an earlier version of this paper. This study received funding from an Insight Grant to the second author from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

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