How does interpreting experience enhance working memory and short-term memory: A meta-analysis

Wen, Hao; Dong, Yanping

doi:10.1080/20445911.2019.1674857

Cited by 30 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 65 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The pooled effect estimates only suggested significant impact of interpreting training on 2-back (SMD = 0.58) and L2 listening span (SMD = 0.71), but not in crosssectional comparisons. This is consistent with findings of Wen and Dong (2019), but at variance with those of Nour et al (2020). The discrepancy mainly comes from the 29 (this review: 48 vs Nour et al 2020: 19) newly-added effects.…”

Section: Updatingsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Nour et al (2020) found evidence for the interpreter advantage in shifting and updating, but not in inhibition. In the mean times, the meta-analysis by Wen andDong (2019, cut-off before Oct.30, 2018) and Mellinger andHanson (2019, cut-off before Dec. 2016) revealed significant effects for the interpreter advantage in STM and WM.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given that prior findings are far from consistent on the presumed interpreter advantage in EFs, important patterns and moderators may be revealed in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Therefore, this research aims to synthesize existing evidence on the impact of interpreting training and/or experience on EFs, expanding on the systematic review by Nour et al (2020) and the metaanalysis by Wen and Dong (2019) and Mellinger and Hanson (2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…

…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The interpreter advantage in executive functions—A systematic review and meta-analysis

Fan

2021

FLS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Given the heavy cognitive load inherent in language interpreting, interpreters may develop cognitive advantages from managing frequent switching of linguistic codes and working modes. Based on a systematic review of executive functions of inhibiting, shifting and working memory (WM) updating by Nour et al. (2020) and meta-analysis of working memory by Wen and Dong (2019) and Mellinger and Hanson (2019), this research follows the PICOS framework and the PRISMA guideline to synthesize findings from 98 tasks of 29 original studies from International and Chinese databases with a cut-off date of 1st October, 2020. Substantial evidence for an interpreter advantage in shifting was found, but not for inhibition or updating. The meta-analysis showed 1) a moderate to high effect in shifting (g = 0.68, seven WCST effects; g = -0.32, eight switching cost effects); 2) no effect in inhibiting (g = 0.13, six Stroop effects); 3) mixed effects in WM updating. Subgroup analysis on WM updating revealed significant training effects from within-group comparisons (g = 0.58, five 2-back effects; g = 0.71, two L2 listening span effects), but insignificant difference from between-group comparisons (g = -0.03 , five 2-back effects; g = 0.18, five L2 listening span effects ). More reproducible behavioral research with scientific and consistent designs is needed for a clearer understanding of the relationship between interpreting experience and EFs.

show abstract

Section: Updatingsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…

…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The interpreter advantage in executive functions—A systematic review and meta-analysis

Fan

2021

FLS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The realisation that the naturalistic task of language interpretation relies on WM can be related to the WM advantage in interpreters which refers to the finding that groups of interpreters outperform non-interpreters on WM tasks (De Signorelli, Haarmann & Obler, 2012;. Two recent meta-analyses on memory research with interpreters confirmed that this advantage affects both WM and STM spans and that the size of this advantage is moderated by the level of experience in interpreting (Mellinger & Hanson, 2019;Wen & Dong, 2019). The presence of an interpreter advantage in WM can be explained in light of the adaptive control hypothesis (Green & Abutalebi, 2013), which predicts adaptation of control processes according to the interactional context in which a bilingual is immersed.…”

Section: Simultaneous Interpreting and Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive control in interpreters: Assessing the impact of training and experience on working memory

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The adaptive control hypothesis predicts adaptation of control mechanisms as a response to intensive language use in bilinguals. The present study aims to investigate this hypothesis in two memory experiments with professional and student interpreters. In experiment 1, we compared a group of interpreting students to translation students using a reading span task to test working memory (WM) and a digit span task to test short-term memory (STM). In experiment 2, we added a group of professional interpreters and compared them with the participants in experiment 1. Training-related improvement was found for WM but not for STM, with no differences between both student groups. Professional interpreters with over 20 years of interpreting experience showed better performance than translation students but not than interpreting students both on WM and STM. The results are discussed in light of the framework of interpreting as a type of extreme bilingualism.

show abstract

Occupation shapes cognition? The case of restaurant ticket collectors' working memory updating ability

Zhao

Liang

Zhu

et al. 2023

Applied Cognitive Psychology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Previous research revealed associations between an individual's occupation and cognitive abilities. However, the underlying causal relation is not always clear and only few studies focused on a critical component of executive functioning, namely working memory updating (WMU). Study 1 examined whether restaurant ticket collectors (N = 53) have a better WMU ability compared to a group of security guards (N = 49) that was matched on relevant variables. Study 2 examined transfer effects of a computerized working memory training program in students. The program simulated elements of a restaurant ticket collector's daily work requirements. In Study 1, the ticket collectors performed better than the guards on WMU tasks. In Study 2, using an active control group (N = 33) as comparison, the trained students (N = 33) displayed beneficial training effects on transfer WMU tasks but not on general intelligence tasks. The results support the general notion of repeated experience with occupation-specific demands affecting specific objectively-assessed cognitive abilities.

show abstract

How does interpreting experience enhance working memory and short-term memory: A meta-analysis

Cited by 30 publications

References 65 publications

The interpreter advantage in executive functions—A systematic review and meta-analysis

The interpreter advantage in executive functions—A systematic review and meta-analysis

Adaptive control in interpreters: Assessing the impact of training and experience on working memory

Occupation shapes cognition? The case of restaurant ticket collectors' working memory updating ability

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About