ABSTRACT
Working memory (WM) refers to the mental capacity to temporarily and simultaneously store and process a limited amount of information to complete some ongoing cognitive tasks. Inspired by established research on WM and language in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics, recent decades have witnessed an increasing body of empirical studies in second language acquisition (SLA) demonstrating that individual differences in WM capacity and embedded functions are related to specific L2 domains and sub-skills of learning and processing, though a finer-grained portrayal of the WM–SLA nexus has yet to be established. This chapter sets out to critically review the major strands of theoretical and empirical SLA research investigating WM effects, and to synthesize the empirical evidence and emerging patterns while analyzing prevalent methods of data elicitation. It is argued that previous WM–SLA studies have relied on a structural view of WM, and future research may also need to incorporate insights from the alternative functional or emergent views of WM, conceptualizing it as a complex, dynamic, and adaptive cognitive system modulating and shaping aspects of L2 processing and development optimally.
