The Effects of Multiword Chunking Ability, Working Memory, and L1 on L2 Contextual Information Processing

In psycholinguistics, it is well established that both first language (L1) and second language (L2) speakers use contextual information during online sentence processing. Previous research suggests that L2 learners, at the group level, tend to rely on contextual cues more than L1 speakers as a compensatory strategy for less efficient L2 processing. However, little is known about which individual or cross-linguistic factors modulate this reliance. The present study investigated the roles of working memory (WM), multiword chunking ability (MCA), and learners’ L1 (Japanese vs. Chinese) in contextual processing. Results from a self-paced reading task showed that L2 learners exhibited robust contextual effects regardless of L1 background. Importantly, higher WM and stronger MCA were associated with reduced contextual effects, whereas no cross-linguistic differences were observed. These findings highlight the importance of individual cognitive factors in shaping contextual processing in L2 reading.