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Surviving in a second language: survival processing effect in memory of bilinguals.
Magda Saraiva1,2, Margarida V Garrido1,2, Josefa N S Pandeirada3,4
1Iscte-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
Human memory shows a survival processing effect (SPE) in a native language but not in a second language. This suggests emotionality may influence memory recall and survival processing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Human memory likely evolved for survival and reproduction.
- The Survival Processing Effect (SPE) demonstrates enhanced memory for survival-related information.
- Language proficiency may influence cognitive effects like SPE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the Survival Processing Effect (SPE) in both native (L1) and second languages (L2).
- To explore the role of emotionality in SPE, considering potential differences between L1 and L2 emotional activation.
- To determine if SPE is language-dependent.
Main Methods:
- Participants rated the survival relevance of words in L1 and L2.
- Memory recall was tested using recognition (Experiment 1) and free recall (Experiment 2) tasks.
- The study compared SPE performance across L1 and L2 conditions.
Main Results:
- The Survival Processing Effect (SPE) was replicated in the native language (L1).
- The SPE was not observed in the second language (L2).
- Memory performance differences between survival and non-survival contexts were absent in L2.
Conclusions:
- The Survival Processing Effect (SPE) appears to be language-dependent.
- Emotional activation, potentially stronger in L1, might be a key factor in SPE.
- Further research is needed to confirm the role of emotionality in the Survival Processing Effect.
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