Research News Details
Language and communication
Humans create a society through communication, and language is its powerful tool to convey feelings and move people. Elucidation of the neural bases of these functions and their acquisition is expected to contribute to understanding humanity and to educational applications.
202503.11 Emotional Cues in L2 Vocabulary Acquisition: How Expressive Facial Contexts Enhance the Learning and Retention of L2 Emotional Vocabulary(Poster Presentation) Posted in RESEARCH
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Acquiring the emotional meanings of second-language (L2) emotional vocabulary (e.g., tanoshimi meaning “joy”) is a significant challenge in language learning. This study explored an effective approach to facilitate L2 emotional vocabulary acquisition by incorporating specially designed emotional expression videos into the learning process. In these videos, actors conveyed the emotional nuances of words through facial expressions and vocal intonations. After the learning session, brain activity during vocabulary processing was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results revealed that learning with emotional videos significantly enhanced activation in brain regions associated with emotional memory. These findings suggest that incorporating both visual and auditory emotional cues can deepen learners’ understanding of emotional vocabulary and contribute to its long-term retention.
These findings were presented at the 2025 winter workshop of the Mechanism of Brain and Mind. (Chunlin)
https://brainmind.jnns.org/wt2025/