Manual production enhances learning and recall of signs by hearing second language learners; however, the mechanisms enabling this effect are unclear. We examined whether the motor encoding (somatosensory feedback) that occurs during sign production benefits learning and whether it interacts with sign iconicity, which also enhances learning. American Sign Language (ASL) signs varying in iconicity were learned either via production (repetition) with the eyes closed or via observation without production. Signs learned via production were recalled more accurately than signs learned via observation, indicating that motor encoding from manual production enriches the representations of signs. Moreover, the effect of motor encoding interacted with iconicity, suggesting that motor encoding may particularly enhance the recall of signs low in iconicity. Together, these results reveal the importance of somatosensory feedback as a key mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of production on sign learning, demonstrating that feeling one’s own signing promotes learning and recall of signs.

中文翻译：

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感觉迹象：运动编码增强听力正常成年人的手语学习

手工制作通过聆听第二语言学习者的声音来增强对符号的学习和回忆；然而，实现这种效果的机制尚不清楚。我们研究了符号产生过程中发生的运动编码（体感反馈）是否有利于学习，以及它是否与符号象似性相互作用，从而增强学习。美国手语（ASL）符号的象似性各不相同，可以通过闭眼的生产（重复）或通过不生产的观察来学习。通过生产习得的符号比通过观察习得的符号更能准确地被回忆起来，这表明手动生产的运动编码丰富了符号的表征。此外，运动编码的效果与象似性相互作用，表明运动编码可能特别增强对象似性低的符号的回忆。总之，这些结果揭示了体感反馈作为生产对手语学习有益影响的关键机制的重要性，表明感觉自己的手语可以促进手语的学习和回忆。