An eye-tracking study finds attention and working memory predict incidental vocabulary acquisition in advanced Chinese learners, suggesting cognitive mechanisms are significant.
In order to explore the cognitive mechanisms and processing involved in incidental vocabulary acquisition, this study examines whether two crucial cognitive factors, attention and working memory, influence incidental vocabulary acquisition during second language reading. Employing a combined online-offline approach, attention, working memory, and incidental vocabulary acquisition were recorded from 47 advanced Chinese learners. This study utilized SPSS for data processing and Mplus to construct the mediation model. The results indicate that degree of attention and working memory predict incidental vocabulary acquisition, with working memory being related to vocabulary processing strategy and serving as a mediator between attentional and incidental vocabulary acquisition. This study contributes to understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying incidental vocabulary acquisition and Chinese vocabulary teaching.
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Wang et al. (2025) studied this question.