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5 - The Embedded-Processes Model and Language Use

from Part II - Models and Measures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2022

By
Eryn J. Adams ,
Alicia Forsberg  and
Nelson Cowan
Edited by
John W. Schwieter  and
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen
John W. Schwieter
Affiliation:
Wilfrid Laurier University
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen
Affiliation:
Hong Kong Shue Yan University
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Summary

We view working memory as a general resource in which attention can be allocated to any type of information and stimulus input. One vital skill that requires the use of working memory is the comprehension and production of language. In this chapter, we outline the basis of the embedded-processes model of working memory. We then discuss how the different parts of the model might be relevant to language use. Finally, we discuss how working memory is used in the acquisition of language as children develop or as individuals take on a second language. We wish to provide a basis for understanding the importance of attention and its interaction with long-term memory for the successful use of language, from understanding a simple sentence to producing a well-formed set of sentences for communication.

Keywords

attentionworking memorylanguage
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Working Memory and Language , pp. 73 - 97
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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