The Role of Statistical Learning and Verbal Short-Term Memory in Impaired and Typical Lexical Development

Abstract

Purpose: Studies on the interface between statistical learning and language are dominated by its role in word segmentation and association with grammar skills, while research on its role in lexical development is scarce. The current study is aimed at exploring whether and how statistical learning and verbal short-term memory are associated with lexical skills in typically developing German-speaker primary school children (Experiment 1) and Hungarian-speaking children with developmental language disorder (DLD, Experiment 2).Methods: We used the language-relevant Peabody Picture Vocabulary Tests to measure individual differences in vocabulary. Statistical learning skills were assessed with the Weather Prediction task, in which participants learn probabilistic cue-outcome associations based on item-based feedback. Verbal short-term memory span was assessed with the Forward digit span task.Results: Hierarchical linear regression modelling was used to test the contribution of different functions to vocabulary size. In TD children, statistical learning skills had an independent contribution to vocabulary size over and above age, receptive grammatical abilities and short-term memory, whereas working memory did not have an independent contribution. The pattern was reverse in SLI: Vocabulary size was predicted by short-term memory skills over and above age, receptive grammar and statistical learning, whereas statistical learning had no independent contribution.Conclusion: Our results suggest that lexical development rely on different underlying memory processes in typical development and in developmental language disorder to different degrees. This qualitative difference is discussed in the light of different stages of lexical development, as well as the contribution of the different human memory systems to vocabulary acquisition.

Implicit cross-situational word learning in children with and without developmental language disorder and its relation to lexical-semantic knowledge

“…Previous work has shown a relationship between crosssituational word learning ability and vocabulary size in young TD children (22-66 months;Vlach and DeBrock, 2017). Kemény and Lukács (2021) report a significant independent contribution of probabilistic statistical learning ability (weather prediction task) to vocabulary size in TD children, while short-term memory did not independently contribute to vocabulary. However, in their children with DLD, this pattern was reversed: shortterm memory independently contributed to vocabulary size, but statistical learning ability did not.…”

Intellectual functionality of speech in children of older preschool age with logopathology

“…In particular, the lack of visual-motor coordination in children with logopathology indicates their lagging behind the age norm [19,20], which in the future will lead to difficulties in mastering written speech and reading. Low indicators of auditory-speech memory (sequence of reproducing words, volume of memorization, strength of retention of stimuli, speed and accuracy of reproducing speech information, inability to remember verbal material) provoke difficulties in learning the school curriculum in future junior high school students [8,12,14,15,27].…”

“…The process of speaking is carried out as a result of phonological and motor programming or phonation, acoustic and articulatory action. According to studies, the success of speech implementation depends on the state of cognitive operational support, namely intellectual functionality: operative, declarative (base of verbal-semantic in-formation -knowledge about the surrounding world, own experience) and procedural (knowledge about the method of performing actions) memory, properties of attention, thinking operations [4,[7][8][9][10].…”

“…Auditory-verbal memory maintains a close relationship with the functions of the do minant left hemisphere, where Broca's and Wernicke's areas are located, which are associated with the functioning of the second signalling system [17]. This type of memory is essential during the perception and assimilation of verbalized knowledge, performs active mental processing of informative materials [5,[8][9][10]. Individual features of auditory-verbal memory include volume (amount of memorized information), speed (memorization time), accuracy (relevance of the reproduced material), strength (duration of storage of learned information), reproduction (speed of recalling the necessary information).…”