Surviving in a second language: survival processing effect in memory of bilinguals

Magda Saraiva,Margarida V Garrido,Josefa N S Pandeirada

doi:10.1080/02699931.2020.1840336

Magda Saraiva, Margarida V Garrido + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2020.1840336

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Human memory likely evolved to serve adaptive functions, that is, to help maximise our chances of survival and reproduction. One demonstration of such adaptiveness is the increased retention of information processed in survival contexts, the so-called Survival Processing Effect (SPE). This study examined this effect in a native (L1) and in a second language (L2). This comparison is relevant to explore if emotionality is involved in the SPE, as emotional activation seems to be larger in L1 than in L2. Following the original survival processing procedure, participants rated the relevance of information to the survival and moving scenarios and performed a recognition (Experiment 1) or a free recall (Experiment 2) task in L1 or L2. In both experiments, the SPE was replicated in L1 but not in L2. The absence of the effect when emotional activation is less likely suggests that emotionality might play a role in the survival processing effect; nevertheless, additional studies are needed to further investigate this hypothesis.

Highlights

One demonstration of such adaptiveness is the increased retention of information processed in survival contexts, the so-called Survival Processing Effect (SPE). This study examined this effect in a native (L1) and in a second language (L2). This comparison is relevant to explore if emotionality is involved in the SPE, as emotional activation seems to be larger in L1 than in L2
The role of emotionality in the SPE is likely to rest on the link between emotional and cognitive processing (e.g., Conrad, et al, 2011); we argue that the higher emotionality involved in the survival scenario might enhance subsequent memory performance
Given that the emotional activation allegedly differs when using L1 and L2, we examined the role of emotionality in the SPE in a recognition (Experiment 1) and in a free recall task (Experiment 2), by manipulating the language in which the task was presented

Summary

Introduction

Following the original survival processing procedure, participants rated the relevance of the information presented to the survival and moving scenarios and performed a recognition (Experiment 1) or a free recall (Experiment 2) task in L1 or L2 In both experiments, the SPE was replicated in L1 but not in L2. Memory systems have evolved to facilitate the retrieval of information that is fitness relevant, that is, that increases our chances of survival and/or reproduction (Nairne et al, 2007) This idea has been explored using the survival processing paradigm in which participants are asked to imagine that they are stranded in the grasslands and that they need to find food, shelter and protect themselves from predators to survive. Supporting the above-mentioned argument, participants recalled and recognized words better when these were previously rated for their relevance to a survival scenario than to a moving scenario or on their pleasantness –the Survival Processing Effect (SPE; Nairne et al, 2007)

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