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Personal Investment in Language Processing: The Role of Self-Reference in Initial Lexical Acquisition

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Title: Personal Investment in Language Processing: The Role of Self-Reference in Initial Lexical Acquisition
Language: English
Authors: Taghreed Qahl (ORCID 0009-0005-0438-8617), Craig Lambert (ORCID 0000-0001-6017-1336)
Source: TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect. 2025 59(2):S60-S87.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 28
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Communicative Competence (Languages), Relevance (Education), Cognitive Structures, Memory, Language Processing, Undergraduate Students, Females, Familiarity, Self Concept, Identification (Psychology)
Geographic Terms: Saudi Arabia
DOI: 10.1002/tesq.3402
ISSN: 0039-8322
1545-7249
Abstract: Recent research on learner factors in task-based language teaching (TBLT) has demonstrated positive effects for treatments that draw on learners' personal experiences. However, the specific processes responsible for these effects are not well understood. The self-reference effect (SRE) is well-documented in cognitive psychology where it has been shown that information processed with reference to the self is typically remembered better than information processed with reference to others. The present study examines the impact of self-reference on the establishment of initial form-to-meaning connections during L2 lexical acquisition. 144 Saudi female undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners processed 20 novel L2 trait adjectives counterbalanced across four processing conditions in which they considered each trait with reference to themselves, an intimate other, a familiar other, or a known lexical item. Findings revealed that information processed in the personal investment conditions (self-reference and intimate-other reference) was remembered better than information processed in the non-personal investment conditions (familiar-other and semantic reference) in terms of both memory for the lexical items and memory for the conditions under which they were processed. Results are discussed in terms of how self-reference can inform personal investment theory as a basis for research on the role of the learner in TBLT.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492042
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Personal Investment in Language Processing: The Role of Self-Reference in Initial Lexical Acquisition
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Taghreed+Qahl%22">Taghreed Qahl</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0438-8617">0009-0005-0438-8617</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Craig+Lambert%22">Craig Lambert</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6017-1336">0000-0001-6017-1336</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 28
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Instruction%22">Second Language Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communicative+Competence+%28Languages%29%22">Communicative Competence (Languages)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Relevance+%28Education%29%22">Relevance (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Structures%22">Cognitive Structures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Processing%22">Language Processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Females%22">Females</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Familiarity%22">Familiarity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Identification+%28Psychology%29%22">Identification (Psychology)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1002/tesq.3402
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  Data: 0039-8322<br />1545-7249
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Recent research on learner factors in task-based language teaching (TBLT) has demonstrated positive effects for treatments that draw on learners' personal experiences. However, the specific processes responsible for these effects are not well understood. The self-reference effect (SRE) is well-documented in cognitive psychology where it has been shown that information processed with reference to the self is typically remembered better than information processed with reference to others. The present study examines the impact of self-reference on the establishment of initial form-to-meaning connections during L2 lexical acquisition. 144 Saudi female undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners processed 20 novel L2 trait adjectives counterbalanced across four processing conditions in which they considered each trait with reference to themselves, an intimate other, a familiar other, or a known lexical item. Findings revealed that information processed in the personal investment conditions (self-reference and intimate-other reference) was remembered better than information processed in the non-personal investment conditions (familiar-other and semantic reference) in terms of both memory for the lexical items and memory for the conditions under which they were processed. Results are discussed in terms of how self-reference can inform personal investment theory as a basis for research on the role of the learner in TBLT.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1492042
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        Value: 10.1002/tesq.3402
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 28
        StartPage: S60
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Communicative Competence (Languages)
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      – SubjectFull: Memory
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      – SubjectFull: Language Processing
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      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Females
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      – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia
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      – TitleFull: Personal Investment in Language Processing: The Role of Self-Reference in Initial Lexical Acquisition
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