Laura Morett | Yale University (original) (raw)
Papers by Laura Morett
This study disentangled the influences of language and social processing on communication in auti... more This study disentangled the influences of language
and social processing on communication in autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) by examining whether gesture
and speech production differs as a function of social context.
The results indicate that, unlike other adolescents,
adolescents with ASD did not increase their coherency and
engagement in the presence of a visible listener, and that
greater coherency and engagement were related to lesser
social and communicative impairments. Additionally, the
results indicated that adolescents with ASD produced
sparser speech and fewer gestures conveying supplementary
information, and that both of these effects increased in
the presence of a visible listener. Together, these findings
suggest that interpersonal communication deficits in ASD
are driven more strongly by social processing than language
processing.
Lexical tones – pitches differentiating between word meanings in tonal languages – are particular... more Lexical tones – pitches differentiating between word meanings in tonal languages – are particularly difficult for atonal language speakers to learn. To test the hypotheses of embodied cognition and spoken word recognition, we examined whether – and how – gesture could facilitate English speakers’ discrimination between Mandarin words differing in lexical
tone. Words were learned with gestures conveying tone pitch contours (pitch gestures), gestures conveying word meanings
(semantic gestures) or no gestures. The results demonstrated that pitch gestures enhanced English speakers’ discrimination
between the meanings of Mandarin words differing in tone, whereas semantic gestures hindered their identification of tones in learned words. These findings indicate that the visuospatial features of pitch gestures strengthen the relationship between English speakers’ representations of Mandarin lexical tones and word meanings, supporting the predictions of spoken word
recognition and embodied cognition.
For hearing adults, signed language processing increases the salience of iconicity and motor syst... more For hearing adults, signed language processing increases the salience of iconicity and motor system involvement relative to spoken language processing. Nevertheless, it is unclear how embodied action, mental imagery and iconicity influence their acquisition of signed language. The current study examines the impact of these factors on sign acquisition by manipulating how signs are learned, as well as their
semantic and phonological relatedness. The results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that American Sign
Language (ASL) signs are learned more effectively via enactment than via referent visualization and meaningless hand motion, and that iconic signs are learned more effectively than other types of signs. The results of Experiment 2 demonstrate that, when learned via enactment, semantically related ASL signs are recalled more accurately than phonologically related ASL signs. These results indicate that hearing adults’ sign language acquisition can be enhanced via a learning method that combines mental imagery and meaningful embodied action (i.e., enactment), strengthening connections between the forms of signs and their referents.
Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that second language (L2) learners use gesture t... more Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that second language (L2) learners use gesture to enhance spoken communication with interlocutors, and that gesture facilitates L2 word learning. The current study investigates how L2 learners use gesture to communicate in conversational settings, and whether their gesturing in these settings facilitates L2 acquisition beyond the immediate context.
Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can facilitate le... more Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can facilitate lexical learning in a novel language. However, it is unclear how these factors interact—as well as why they play a role—in lexical learning. Through a set of four experiments, this research demonstrated that neither mental imagery nor embodied action directly promotes the acquisition of second language (L2) words.
Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can faci... more Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can facilitate word learning in a novel language. However, it is unclear how these factors interact—as well as why they play a role—in word learning. Through a set of four experiments, this research demonstrated that neither mental imagery nor embodied action directly promotes the acquisition of second language (L2) words by adult learners.
Abstract Iconicity is a powerful cue to symbolic meaning. However, it is unclear from previous re... more Abstract Iconicity is a powerful cue to symbolic meaning. However, it is unclear from previous research whether language learners benefit from iconicity. Prior research indicates that the motor system supports language acquisition, suggesting that iconicity expressed via this modality may be particularly salient. The present study investigates the effects of iconicity and enactment on the acquisition of American Sign Language by hearing adults.
Competition Model studies of second language learners have demonstrated that there is a gradual r... more Competition Model studies of second language learners have demonstrated that there is a gradual replacement of first language cues for thematic role assignment by second language cues. The current study introduced two methodological innovations in the investigation of this process. The first was the use of mouse-tracking methodology (Spivey, 2007) to assess the online process of thematic role assignment.
Please cite this article in press as: Morett, L., M., et al. Applying multimedia learning theory ... more Please cite this article in press as: Morett, L., M., et al. Applying multimedia learning theory to map learning .
This study disentangled the influences of language and social processing on communication in auti... more This study disentangled the influences of language
and social processing on communication in autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) by examining whether gesture
and speech production differs as a function of social context.
The results indicate that, unlike other adolescents,
adolescents with ASD did not increase their coherency and
engagement in the presence of a visible listener, and that
greater coherency and engagement were related to lesser
social and communicative impairments. Additionally, the
results indicated that adolescents with ASD produced
sparser speech and fewer gestures conveying supplementary
information, and that both of these effects increased in
the presence of a visible listener. Together, these findings
suggest that interpersonal communication deficits in ASD
are driven more strongly by social processing than language
processing.
Lexical tones – pitches differentiating between word meanings in tonal languages – are particular... more Lexical tones – pitches differentiating between word meanings in tonal languages – are particularly difficult for atonal language speakers to learn. To test the hypotheses of embodied cognition and spoken word recognition, we examined whether – and how – gesture could facilitate English speakers’ discrimination between Mandarin words differing in lexical
tone. Words were learned with gestures conveying tone pitch contours (pitch gestures), gestures conveying word meanings
(semantic gestures) or no gestures. The results demonstrated that pitch gestures enhanced English speakers’ discrimination
between the meanings of Mandarin words differing in tone, whereas semantic gestures hindered their identification of tones in learned words. These findings indicate that the visuospatial features of pitch gestures strengthen the relationship between English speakers’ representations of Mandarin lexical tones and word meanings, supporting the predictions of spoken word
recognition and embodied cognition.
For hearing adults, signed language processing increases the salience of iconicity and motor syst... more For hearing adults, signed language processing increases the salience of iconicity and motor system involvement relative to spoken language processing. Nevertheless, it is unclear how embodied action, mental imagery and iconicity influence their acquisition of signed language. The current study examines the impact of these factors on sign acquisition by manipulating how signs are learned, as well as their
semantic and phonological relatedness. The results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that American Sign
Language (ASL) signs are learned more effectively via enactment than via referent visualization and meaningless hand motion, and that iconic signs are learned more effectively than other types of signs. The results of Experiment 2 demonstrate that, when learned via enactment, semantically related ASL signs are recalled more accurately than phonologically related ASL signs. These results indicate that hearing adults’ sign language acquisition can be enhanced via a learning method that combines mental imagery and meaningful embodied action (i.e., enactment), strengthening connections between the forms of signs and their referents.
Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that second language (L2) learners use gesture t... more Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that second language (L2) learners use gesture to enhance spoken communication with interlocutors, and that gesture facilitates L2 word learning. The current study investigates how L2 learners use gesture to communicate in conversational settings, and whether their gesturing in these settings facilitates L2 acquisition beyond the immediate context.
Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can facilitate le... more Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can facilitate lexical learning in a novel language. However, it is unclear how these factors interact—as well as why they play a role—in lexical learning. Through a set of four experiments, this research demonstrated that neither mental imagery nor embodied action directly promotes the acquisition of second language (L2) words.
Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can faci... more Abstract Previous research has provided evidence that mental imagery and embodied action can facilitate word learning in a novel language. However, it is unclear how these factors interact—as well as why they play a role—in word learning. Through a set of four experiments, this research demonstrated that neither mental imagery nor embodied action directly promotes the acquisition of second language (L2) words by adult learners.
Abstract Iconicity is a powerful cue to symbolic meaning. However, it is unclear from previous re... more Abstract Iconicity is a powerful cue to symbolic meaning. However, it is unclear from previous research whether language learners benefit from iconicity. Prior research indicates that the motor system supports language acquisition, suggesting that iconicity expressed via this modality may be particularly salient. The present study investigates the effects of iconicity and enactment on the acquisition of American Sign Language by hearing adults.
Competition Model studies of second language learners have demonstrated that there is a gradual r... more Competition Model studies of second language learners have demonstrated that there is a gradual replacement of first language cues for thematic role assignment by second language cues. The current study introduced two methodological innovations in the investigation of this process. The first was the use of mouse-tracking methodology (Spivey, 2007) to assess the online process of thematic role assignment.
Please cite this article in press as: Morett, L., M., et al. Applying multimedia learning theory ... more Please cite this article in press as: Morett, L., M., et al. Applying multimedia learning theory to map learning .