Inverse reaction time as an awareness measure in artificial grammar learning experiments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36505/ExLing-2021/12/0011/000484Keywords:
artificial grammar learning, inverse reaction time, awareness, confidence, phonologyAbstract
Artificial grammar learning (AGL) experiments are frequently adopted to test implicit (unconscious) learning of linguistic generalizations by adult learners. Since explicit (conscious) learning seems inevitable for adult learners, awareness measures are necessary to assess if learners are conscious of acquired linguistic generalizations. Confidence level, for instance, would be uncorrelated or inversely correlated with learning performance if acquired linguistic knowledge is implicit. In this study, we examined if inverse reaction time (IRT) could be a fine-grained and objective confidence-based awareness measure in adult AGL experiments. With data from three phonological AGL experiments recruiting adult participants, we confirmed that confident responses are faster than unconfident ones and that slower (i.e., less confident) responses reflect the application of successfully acquired implicit knowledge.
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