The mediating role of vocabulary size, working memory, attention and inhibition in early vocabulary learning under different TV genres: An exploratory study

Abstract

Few studies have explored the learning opportunities different audiovisual genres may create for vocabulary learning. Even fewer have looked at how learners’ viewing experience is affected by individual differences (IDs) in vocabulary size, attention, inhibition, or working memory. Such IDs have been shown to mediate early and long‐term vocabulary learning (Gass, Winke, Isbell, & Ahn, 2019; Kam, Liu, & Tseng, 2020; Peters & Webb, 2018). This exploratory study seeks to analyze how vocabulary is acquired under different genres and how this process may be influenced by the IDs mentioned above. Forty‐one students of English as a foreign language (EFL) participated in an experiment involving the viewing of four TV genres (sitcom, police procedural, animal documentary, and edutainment). Meaning recognition task was applied at the pretest and posttest, and form recognition at the posttest only. Prior to viewing, students took four cognitive tests related to vocabulary size, attention control, inhibition, and working memory. Results suggest vocabulary size had the largest impact on the participants’ performance at pretest and posttest, although its relative weight varied across genres. A nonsignificant or much lesser role was played by working memory, attention, and inhibition. Results are discussed regarding what genre might create the most beneficial conditions for vocabulary learning and how IDs influence such learning.