Personality Traits Moderate the Relationship between Statistical Learning Ability and Second-Language Learners' Sentence Comprehension

RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)

Abstract

An accumulating body of evidence has demonstrated a tightcoupling between individual differences (ID) in statisticallearning ability (SL) and variation in language performancein child and adult native speaker populations, with some ini-tial evidence that this coupling extends to second language(L2) speakers. However, surprisingly little work has been con-ducted to assess potential interactions between SL and otherexperience-related and affective ID factors. Using a within-subjects design embedded in an ID framework, the presentstudy attempts to fill this gap by investigating whether the im-pact of SL ability on language is moderated by individual dif-ferences in personality traits and the amount of experience anindividual has had with the L2. The results of the study re-vealed a complex interplay between ID factors and variationin L2 comprehension of different types of complex sentencesindicating that the effect of SL ability on language comprehen-sion is moderated by personality traits.

Authors 3

1. Elma Kerz Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen

2. Daniel Wiechmann
3. Tandis Silkens Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen