How does interpreting experience enhance working memory and short-term memory: A meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

The language task of interpreting is demanding in memory, and interpreters are assumed to be better in short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) than matched bilingual controls. However, apart from consistent evidence supporting such an interpreter advantage in updating, there is no consensus in the literature regarding the existence of an interpreter advantage in memory spans. To solve the issue, the present meta-analysis synthesised 45 effect sizes from 10 primary studies, and found evidence supporting an interpreter advantage in both WM and STM spans. Such an advantage was more expressed in verbal memory tasks than in numerical/letter and spatial tasks, although the moderating effect was not statistically significant. Moreover, the level of interpreter expertise significantly moderated the presence of such an advantage, with no advantage for beginner interpreters and no difference in the advantage between intermediate and expert interpreters. Implications for interpreting training and bilingual advantages are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Interpreter advantage
• working memory
• short-term memory
• multi-level meta-analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Hao Wen http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6987-0459

Yanping Dong http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9306-0461

Additional information

Funding

The present study is supported by a grant from the National Social Science Foundation of China (15AYY002).