A word length effect for sign language : Further evidence for the role of language in structuring working memory

We report a sign length effect in deaf users of American Sign Language that is analogous to the word length effect for speech. Lists containing long signs (signs that traverse relatively long distances) produced poorer memory performance than did lists of short signs (signs that do not change in loc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Memory & cognition 1998-05, Vol.26 (3), p.584-590
Main Authors: WILSON, M, EMMOREY, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Attention
Biological and medical sciences
Deafness - psychology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Humans
Learning. Memory
Male
Memory
Mental Recall
Phonetics
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Retention (Psychology)
Semantics
Sign Language
Verbal Learning
Vocabulary development
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Summary:We report a sign length effect in deaf users of American Sign Language that is analogous to the word length effect for speech. Lists containing long signs (signs that traverse relatively long distances) produced poorer memory performance than did lists of short signs (signs that do not change in location). Further, this length effect was eliminated by articulatory suppression (repetitive motion of the hands), and articulatory suppression produced an overall drop in performance. The pattern of results, together with previous findings (Wilson & Emmorey, 1997), provides evidence for a working memory system for sign language that consists of a phonological storage buffer and an articulatory rehearsal mechanism. This indicates a close equivalence of structure between working memory for sign language and working memory for speech. The implications of this equivalence are discussed.
ISSN:0090-502X
1532-5946
DOI:10.3758/bf03201164