Neural correlates of implicit and explicit linguistic knowledge of second language learner and individual differences

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02745
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Jeong Hyeonjeong 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 講師 (60549054)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Thyreau Benjamin 東北大学, スマート・エイジング学際重点研究センター, 助手 (30709522)
• Research Collaborator: Suzuki Yuichi 神奈川大学, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 第二言語習得 / 暗示的・明示的言語知識 / 脳内メカニズム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many second language (L2) studies that have used behavioral measures such as accuracy and reaction time have shown that L2 learners’ linguistic knowledge might be sensitive to the type of task and the level of L2 proficiency. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms of the two types of L2 knowledge (i.e., implicit knowledge and explicit knowledge). The current study examined neural correlates of explicit and implicit knowledge and how they differ according to the type of task, the level of L2 proficiency, and the type of learning environment. The participants were Japanese learners of English, most of whom were studying English in Japan, and Chinese learners of Japanese who were studying Japanese in Japan. Our results suggest that EFL (English as a foreign language) and JSL (Japanese as a second language) learners relied mainly on declarative and procedural knowledge, respectively, to process L2 grammatical knowledge.

Free Research Field

第二言語習得

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの外国語教育研究において、暗示的・明示的知識の質的な違いを明確に分離することは困難であった。その問題点を脳機能イメージングの手法を用いることで克服することが本研究の学問的意義である。また、本研究では、明示的・暗示的知識の神経基盤を明らかにし、その神経基盤に及ぼす要因（環境、学習者要因等）を特定することが可能になった。本研究の示唆は、外国語環境の学習者であっても暗示的知識の習得が可能であること、またその知識を育成する指導法の開発につながるということである。