Short-Term Memory in Signed Languages: Not Just a Disadvantage for Serial Recall

Chloë R Marshall,Gary Morgan,Wolfgang Mann

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00102

Abstract

Short-Term Memory in Signed Languages: Not Just a Disadvantage for Serial Recall

Highlights

The higher short-term memory (STM) capacity for spoken language compared to signed language is well-documented: speakers have a digit span of 7 ± 2, signers only 5 ± 1
We argue that the way in which phonological material is structured is likely to be a more important limiting factor in repetition
The “speech supports temporal processing” view has recently been modified by Hall and Bavelier (2010), who argue that the advantage for speech arises from speakers being more likely to rely on the temporal chunking of units and on articulatory rehearsal

Summary

Introduction

The higher short-term memory (STM) capacity for spoken language compared to signed language is well-documented: speakers have a digit span of 7 ± 2, signers only 5 ± 1 (see Hall and Bavelier, 2010, for a review). We created a sign language equivalent of the non-word repetition task, a task widely used to investigate phonological STM in speakers. The task proved to be surprisingly difficult, with low scores across the age groups in comparison to results from non-word repetition studies of hearing, English-speaking children of equivalent ages, including those for whom English is an additional language (Figure 1).

Results

Conclusion