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The effect of emotional facial expressions on second language emotional vocabulary acquisition: an fMRI study
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Poster D89 in Poster Session D, Wednesday, October 25, 4:45 - 6:30 pm CEST, Espace Vieux-Port
This poster is part of the Sandbox Series.
Chunlin Liu1, Takumi Uchihara1, Motoaki Sugiura2,3, Ping Li4, Hyeonjeong Jeong1,2; 1Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, 2Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, 3International Research Institute for Disaster Science, Tohoku University, 4Faculty of Humanities, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Expressing and understanding emotions in a second language (L2) is challenging for language learners (Dewaele, 2008). Facial expressions are essential nonverbal cues for emotion perception alongside emotional vocabulary. Embodied cognition theory highlights the significance of bodily experiences in cognitive activities (Lakoff et al., 1999; Gallese, 2005), thus sheds lights on the potential benefits of facial expressions in language learning. However, facilitative effects of observing facial expressions on L2 emotional language learning and its neural mechanisms remain unknown. Thus, to provide neural evidence for this theory in the context of second language acquisition, this study investigates whether vocabulary acquisition is enhanced by engaging emotion- and bodily sensation-related brain areas when emotional facial expressions are incorporated into L2 emotional vocabulary learning. Participants 40 healthy right-handed native Japanese speakers with no knowledge of Mandarin Chinese will participate in a Chinese vocabulary learning experiment. Materials 72 Chinese phrases (i.e., 24 negative, 24 positive, and 24 neutral phrases) were selected as the training materials, based on ratings of emotional arousal, valence, and imageability obtained from 20 native Chinese speakers. The 72 target words were divided into two sets for two training conditions: emotional-face exposure learning and neutral-face exposure learning. The phrases in the sets were equally distributed in a counterbalanced way considering frequency, number of syllables, emotional valence, arousal, and imageability. Emotional and neutral-face videos were created by native Chinese actors/actresses, uttering each word with a neutral or corresponding emotional facial expression. Participants will learn half of the stimuli in each condition. Training Procedure and Memory Assessment Over three days, participants will watch videos with audio and written stimuli in Chinese pronunciation, accompanied by Japanese translations. Each stimulus will be presented 12 times per training day. On the fourth day, participants will complete a lexical decision task, while their brain activity is scanned using MRI. Reaction time and accuracy rates will be recorded. Memory performance will be assessed through translation tests from Japanese to Chinese and Chinese to Japanese two weeks and one month after the MRI scanning. Data collection is currently underway. Data Analysis and Expected Results Repeated measures ANOVA will be conducted on both behavioral and functional data, considering two factors: Training (emotional vs. neutral-face exposure) and Time (two vs. four weeks after scanning). Behaviorally, we expect that emotional-face exposure learning will result in superior memory performance during translation tests compared to neutral-face exposure learning. Functionally, emotional-face exposure learning is anticipated to elicit stronger activation in emotion- and bodily sensation-related brain areas than neutral-face exposure learning. These findings would suggest that emotional facial expressions could benefit L2 vocabulary learning by engaging larger brain networks associated with emotion- and bodily sensation-related areas. By investigating the impact of emotional facial expressions on L2 emotional vocabulary acquisition, this study contributes to the understanding of embodied cognition in language learning. The findings may have implications for language education and pedagogy, emphasizing the integration of bodily experiences and emotional engagement to enhance vocabulary acquisition in an L2.
Topic Areas: Language Development/Acquisition, Multisensory or Sensorimotor Integration