Working memory is the restricted capability of the brain to store, maintain, manipulate, and process information (Rudner, et. al, 2009). This paper investigates the current research on working memory and the effects of sign language on it. Sign language is used primarily by those who are deaf and are unable to communicate through speech. It is the use of hand signals and motions to produce language. There are many different forms of sign language that are widely used and accepted, among them include: American Sign Language, Australian sign language, the Swedish manual alphabet, and the British manual alphabet. The Swedish form uses one hand to convey speech, while the British form uses both hands (Andin, et. al, 2013). Each of several studies
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Short term memory is not the same as working memory although they are similar in definition, with a difference in function. Short term memory, while also a temporary storage of information in the brain, is passive with given information (Wang, et. al, 2013). Working memory is the active use of information – the active maintenance of information (Wang, et. al, 2013). Older studies of memory included models of only short term and long term memory (Modal Model - Norman & Waugh (1965); Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968)). In 1974 Baddeley and Hitch included working memory in that system (Wang, et. al, 2013). Baddeley defined working memory in 1992 as a system that not only provided temporary storage but was the active use of that stored information and was essential for language (Wang, et. al, 2013). Working memory and short term memory go hand in hand (one is the passive storing of information temporarily and the other the active storing of information temporarily) and are therefore studied together in each of the studies used for this …show more content…
Supalla, et. all conducted an experiment in 2014 to test the working memory span of three groups of people: deaf adults, hearing adults, and deaf children. They measured each groups fluency in the language before conducting the experiment and adjusted the experiment to match the fluency of the individuals (Supalla, et. al, 2014). They gave participants twenty sentences in increasing difficulty and had each individual repeat the sentence (Supalla, et. al, 2014). The results showed no statistical significance between the working memory of the deaf children and deaf adults, but there was statistical significance between the deaf groups and the hearing adult group (Supall, et. al, 2014). The hearing group actually did significantly worse throughout the whole experiment (Supalla, et. al, 2014). More studies need to be done to confirm or disconfirm the studies since several support the idea that native signers have a lower short-term memory than hearing non-signing individuals and other studies with no statistical difference between the two groups. Most studies show that all groups have equal working memory, while the above study says
Short term memory is not the same as working memory although they are similar in definition, with a difference in function. Short term memory, while also a temporary storage of information in the brain, is passive with given information (Wang, et. al, 2013). Working memory is the active use of information – the active maintenance of information (Wang, et. al, 2013). Older studies of memory included models of only short term and long term memory (Modal Model - Norman & Waugh (1965); Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968)). In 1974 Baddeley and Hitch included working memory in that system (Wang, et. al, 2013). Baddeley defined working memory in 1992 as a system that not only provided temporary storage but was the active use of that stored information and was essential for language (Wang, et. al, 2013). Working memory and short term memory go hand in hand (one is the passive storing of information temporarily and the other the active storing of information temporarily) and are therefore studied together in each of the studies used for this …show more content…
Supalla, et. all conducted an experiment in 2014 to test the working memory span of three groups of people: deaf adults, hearing adults, and deaf children. They measured each groups fluency in the language before conducting the experiment and adjusted the experiment to match the fluency of the individuals (Supalla, et. al, 2014). They gave participants twenty sentences in increasing difficulty and had each individual repeat the sentence (Supalla, et. al, 2014). The results showed no statistical significance between the working memory of the deaf children and deaf adults, but there was statistical significance between the deaf groups and the hearing adult group (Supall, et. al, 2014). The hearing group actually did significantly worse throughout the whole experiment (Supalla, et. al, 2014). More studies need to be done to confirm or disconfirm the studies since several support the idea that native signers have a lower short-term memory than hearing non-signing individuals and other studies with no statistical difference between the two groups. Most studies show that all groups have equal working memory, while the above study says