1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Gesture
  4. Volume 23, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 23, Issue 1-2
  • ISSN 1568-1475
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9773
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

Currently, it is unclear whether observing iconic gestures benefits comprehension of second language (L2) accented narratives, and whether it benefits it to a different degree than it does for first language (L1) accented narratives. In this study, L1 American English speakers watched videos of two narratives, one of which featured L1 accented American English, and the other of which featured L2 French-accented English. One narrative featured iconic gestures complementing speech, and the other did not contain gestures. Despite a marginally greater benefit of iconic gestures for L1 than L2 accented narratives, observing iconic gestures had no significant impact on comprehension, free recall, and event memory for L1 and L2 accented narratives. These findings suggest that observing iconic gestures may not enhance comprehension or memory for L2 accented spoken narratives. Implications for improving communication between L1 and L2 accented speakers are discussed.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/gest.24037.you
2025-07-28
2026-03-10

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/gest.24037.you
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Algana, M., & Hardison, D. M.
    (2024) Variable effects of speakers’ visual cues and accent on L2 listening comprehension: A mixed-methods approach. Language Teaching Research, 13621688241246106. 10.1177/13621688241246106
     https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688241246106 [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson-Hsieh, J., & Koehler, K.
    (1988) The effect of foreign accent and speaking rate on native speaker comprehension. Language Learning, 38(4), 561–613. 10.1111/j.1467‑1770.1988.tb00167.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1988.tb00167.x [Google Scholar]
  3. Austin, E. E., & Sweller, N.
    (2014) Presentation and production: The role of gesture in spatial communication. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 1221, 92–103. 10.1016/j.jecp.2013.12.008
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2013.12.008 [Google Scholar]
  4. Austin, E. E., Sweller, N., & Van Bergen, P.
    (2018) Pointing the way forward: Gesture and adults’ recall of route direction information. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 24(4), 490–508.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Barr, D. J., Levy, R., Scheepers, C., & Tily, H. J.
    (2013) Random effects structure for confirmatory hypothesis testing: Keep it maximal. Journal of Memory and Language, 68(3), 255–278. 10.1016/j.jml.2012.11.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2012.11.001 [Google Scholar]
  6. Bates, D., Mächler, M., Bolker, B., & Walker, S.
    (2015) Fitting linear mixed-effects models using Ime4. Journal of Statistical Software, 67(1), 1–48. 10.18637/jss.v067.i01
     https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v067.i01 [Google Scholar]
  7. Bharadwaj, A., Dargue, N., & Sweller, N.
    (2022) A hands-on approach to learning: Gesture production during encoding and its effect on narrative recall. Cognitive Science, 46(12). 10.1111/cogs.13214
     https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13214 [Google Scholar]
  8. Cameron, H., & Xu, X.
    (2011) Representational gesture, pointing gesture, and memory recall of preschool children. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 35(2), 155–171. 10.1007/s10919‑010‑0101‑2
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-010-0101-2 [Google Scholar]
  9. Carlson, C., Jacobs, S. A., Perry, M., & Church, R. B.
    (2014) The effect of gestured instruction on the learning of physical causality problems. Gesture, 14(1), 26–45. 10.1075/gest.14.1.02car
     https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.14.1.02car [Google Scholar]
  10. Church, R. B., Ayman-Nolley, S., & Mahootian, S.
    (2004) The role of gesture in bilingual education: Does gesture enhance learning?. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 7(4), 303–319. 10.1080/13670050408667815
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050408667815 [Google Scholar]
  11. Church, R. B., Garber, P., & Rogalski, K.
    (2007) The role of gesture in memory and social communication. Gesture, 7(2), 137–158. 10.1075/gest.7.2.02bre
     https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.7.2.02bre [Google Scholar]
  12. Church, R. B., Kelly, S. D., & Lynch, K.
    (2000) Immediate memory for mismatched speech and representational gesture across development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 241, 151–174. 10.1023/A:1006610013873
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006610013873 [Google Scholar]
  13. Clarke, C. M., & Garrett, M. F.
    (2004) Rapid adaptation to foreign-accented English. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 116(6), 3647–3658. 10.1121/1.1815131
     https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1815131 [Google Scholar]
  14. Cook, S. W., Duffy, R. G., & Fenn, K. M.
    (2013) Consolidation and transfer of learning after observing hand gesture. Child Development, 84(6), 1863–1871. 10.1111/cdev.12097
     https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12097 [Google Scholar]
  15. Dahl, T. I., & Ludvigsen, S.
    (2014) How I see what you’re saying: The role of gestures in native and foreign language listening comprehension. The Modern Language Journal, 93(3). 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.2014.12124.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2014.12124.x [Google Scholar]
  16. Dargue, N., & Sweller, N.
    (2018a) Donald Duck’s garden: The effects of observing iconic reinforcing and contradictory gestures on narrative comprehension. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 1751, 96–107. 10.1016/j.jecp.2018.06.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2018.06.004 [Google Scholar]
  17. (2018b) Not all gestures are created equal: The effects of typical and atypical iconic gestures on narrative comprehension. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 42(3), 1–19. 10.1007/s10919‑018‑0278‑3
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-018-0278-3 [Google Scholar]
  18. (2020) Learning stories through gesture: Gesture’s effects on child and adult narrative comprehension. Educational Psychology Review, 321, 249–276. 10.1007/s10648‑019‑09505‑0
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09505-0 [Google Scholar]
  19. Dargue, N., Sweller, N., & Jones, M. P.
    (2019) When our hands help us understand: A meta-analysis into the effects of gesture on comprehension. Psychological Bulletin, 145(8), 765–784. 10.1037/bul0000202
     https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000202 [Google Scholar]
  20. Drijvers, L., & Özyürek, A.
    (2017) Visual context enhanced: The joint contribution of iconic gestures and visible speech to degraded speech comprehension. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60(1), 212–222. 10.1044/2016_JSLHR‑H‑16‑0101
     https://doi.org/10.1044/2016_JSLHR-H-16-0101 [Google Scholar]
  21. (2020) Non-native listeners benefit less from gestures and visible speech than native listeners during degraded speech comprehension. Language and Speech, 63(2), 209–220. 10.1177/0023830919831311
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830919831311 [Google Scholar]
  22. Drijvers, L., Vaitonytė, J., & Özyürek, A.
    (2019) Degree of language experience modulates visual attention to visible speech and iconic gestures during clear and degraded speech comprehension. Cognitive Science, 43(10), e12789. 10.1111/cogs.12789
     https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.12789 [Google Scholar]
  23. Driskell, J. E., & Radtke, P. H.
    (2003) The effect of gesture on speech production and comprehension. Human Factors, 45(3), 445–454. 10.1518/hfes.45.3.445.27258
     https://doi.org/10.1518/hfes.45.3.445.27258 [Google Scholar]
  24. Feyereisen, P.
    (2006) Further investigation on the mnemonic effect of gestures: Their meaning matters. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 18(2), 185–205. 10.1080/09541440540000158
     https://doi.org/10.1080/09541440540000158 [Google Scholar]
  25. Goldin-Meadow, S.
    (1999) The role of gesture in communication and thinking. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 3(11), 419–429. 10.1016/S1364‑6613(99)01397‑2
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6613(99)01397-2 [Google Scholar]
  26. Grey, S., Cosgrove, A. L., & van Hell, J. G.
    (2020) Faces with foreign accents: An event-related potential study of accented sentence comprehension. Neuropsychologia, 1471. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107575
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107575 [Google Scholar]
  27. Hansen, K., Steffens, M. C., Rakić, T., & Wiese, Holger
    (2017) When appearance does not match accent: Neural correlates of ethnicity-related expectancy violations. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 12(3), 507–515. 10.1093/scan/nsw148
     https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsw148 [Google Scholar]
  28. Hostetter, A. B.
    (2011) When do gestures communicate? A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 137(2), 297–315. 10.1037/a0022128
     https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022128 [Google Scholar]
  29. Hubbard, A. L., Wilson, S. M., Callan, D. E., & Dapretto, M.
    (2009) Giving speech a hand: Gesture modulates activity in auditory cortex during speech perception. Human Brain Mapping, 30(3), 1028–1037. 10.1002/hbm.20565
     https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.20565 [Google Scholar]
  30. Ianì, F., & Bucciarelli, M.
    (2017) Mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of a speaker’s gestures on the listener. Journal of Memory and Language, 961, 110–121. 10.1016/j.jml.2017.05.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2017.05.004 [Google Scholar]
  31. Kelly, S. D., Barr, D. J., Church, R. B., & Lynch, K.
    (1999) Offering a hand to pragmatic understanding: The role of speech and gesture in comprehension and memory. Journal of Memory and Language, 40(4), 577–592. 10.1006/jmla.1999.2634
     https://doi.org/10.1006/jmla.1999.2634 [Google Scholar]
  32. Kelly, S. D., & Church, R. B.
    (1997) Can children detect conceptual information conveyed through other children's nonverbal behaviors. Cognition and Instruction, 15(1), 107–134. 10.1207/s1532690xci1501_4
     https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532690xci1501_4 [Google Scholar]
  33. (1998) A comparison between children's and adults' ability to detect conceptual information conveyed through representational gestures. Child Development, 69(1), 85–93. 10.1111/j.1467‑8624.1998.tb06135.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1998.tb06135.x [Google Scholar]
  34. Kelly, S. D., McDevitt, T., & Esch, M.
    (2009) Brief training with co-speech gesture lends a hand to word learning in a foreign language. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24(2), 313–334. 10.1080/01690960802365567
     https://doi.org/10.1080/01690960802365567 [Google Scholar]
  35. Kelly, S. D., & Ngo Tran, Q. A.
    (2023) Exploring the Emotional Functions of Co-Speech Hand Gesture in Language and Communication. Topics in Cognitive Science. 10.1111/tops.12657
     https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12657 [Google Scholar]
  36. Kelly, S. D., Özyürek, A., & Maris, E.
    (2010) Two sides of the same coin: Speech and gesture mutually interact to enhance comprehension. Psychological Science, 21(2). 10.1177/0956797609357327
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797609357327 [Google Scholar]
  37. Koumoutsakis, T., Church, R. B., Alibali, M. W., Singer, M., & Ayman-Nolley, S.
    (2016) Gesture in instruction: Evidence from live and video lessons. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 401, 301–315. 10.1007/s10919‑016‑0234‑z
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-016-0234-z [Google Scholar]
  38. Krason, A., Fenton, R., Varley, R., & Vigliocco, G.
    (2021) The role of iconic gestures and mouth movements in face-to-face communication. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 29(2), 600–612. 10.3758/s13423‑021‑02009‑5
     https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-021-02009-5 [Google Scholar]
  39. Krason, A., Varley, R., & Vigliocco, G.
    (2024) Understanding discourse in face-to-face settings: The impact of multimodal cues and listening conditions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 51(5), 837–854. 10.1037/xlm0001399
     https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0001399 [Google Scholar]
  40. Krauss, R. M., Dushay, R. A., Chen, Y., & Rauscher, F.
    (1995) The communicative value of conversational hand gesture. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 31(6), 533–552. 10.1006/jesp.1995.1024
     https://doi.org/10.1006/jesp.1995.1024 [Google Scholar]
  41. Krauss, R. M., Morrel-Samuels, P., & Colasante, C.
    (1991) Do conversational hand gestures communicate?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(5), 743. 10.1037/0022‑3514.61.5.743
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.61.5.743 [Google Scholar]
  42. Kuznetsova, A., Brockhoff, P. B., Christensen, R. H. B.
    (2017) ImerTest package: Tests in linear mixed effects models. Journal of Statistical Software, 821, 1–26. 10.18637/jss.v082.i13
     https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v082.i13 [Google Scholar]
  43. Lin, Y. L.
    (2022) Speech-accompanying gestures in L1 and L2 conversational interaction by speakers of different proficiency levels. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 60(2), 123–142. 10.1515/iral‑2017‑0043
     https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2017-0043 [Google Scholar]
  44. Llanes-Coromina, J., Vilà-Giménez, I., Kushch, O., Borràs-Comes, J., & Prieto, P.
    (2018) Beat gestures help preschoolers recall and comprehend discourse information. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 1721, 168–188. 10.1016/j.jecp.2018.02.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2018.02.004 [Google Scholar]
  45. Macoun, A., & Sweller, N.
    (2016) Listening and watching: The effects of observing gesture on preschoolers’ narrative comprehension. Cognitive Development, 401, 68–81. 10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.08.005
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.08.005 [Google Scholar]
  46. Major, R. C., Fitzmaurice, S. F., Bunta, F., & Balasubramanian, C.
    (2002) The effects of nonnative accents on listening comprehension: Implications for ESL assessment. TESOL Quarterly, 36(2), 173–190. 10.2307/3588329
     https://doi.org/10.2307/3588329 [Google Scholar]
  47. Maye, J., Aslin, R. N., & Tanenhaus, M. K.
    (2008) The weckud wetch of the wast: Lexical adaptation to a novel accent. Cognitive Science, 32(3), 543–562. 10.1080/03640210802035357
     https://doi.org/10.1080/03640210802035357 [Google Scholar]
  48. McNeill, D.
    (1992) Hand and mind: What gestures reveal about thought. University of Chicago Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Morett, L. M.
    (2018) In hand and in mind: Effects of gesture production and viewing on second language word learning. Applied Psycholinguistics, 39(2), 355–381. 10.1017/S0142716417000388
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716417000388 [Google Scholar]
  50. (2023) Observing gesture at learning enhances subsequent phonological and semantic processing of L2 words: An N400 study. Brain and Language, 2461, 105327. 10.1016/j.bandl.2023.105327
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2023.105327 [Google Scholar]
  51. Morett, L. M., & Chang, L. Y.
    (2015) Emphasizing sound and meaning: Pitch gestures enhance Mandarin lexical tone acquisition. Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, 30(3), 347–353. 10.1080/23273798.2014.923105
     https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2014.923105 [Google Scholar]
  52. Morett, L. M., Feiler, J. B., & Getz, L. M.
    (2022) Elucidating the influences of embodiment and conceptual metaphor on lexical and non-speech tone learning. Cognition, 2221, 105014. 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105014
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105014 [Google Scholar]
  53. Morett, L. M., & Fraundorf, S. H.
    (2019) Listeners consider alternative speaker productions in discourse comprehension and memory: Evidence from beat gesture and pitch accenting. Memory & Cognition, 47(8), 1515–1530. 10.3758/s13421‑019‑00945‑1
     https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-019-00945-1 [Google Scholar]
  54. Morett, L. M., Fraundorf, S. H., & McPartland, J. C.
    (2021) Eye see what you're saying: Contrastive use of beat gesture and pitch accent affects online interpretation of spoken discourse. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 47(9), 1494. 10.1037/xlm0000986
     https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000986 [Google Scholar]
  55. Morett, L. M., Roche, J. M., Fraundorf, S. H., & McPartland, J. C.
    (2020) Contrast is in the eye of the beholder: Infelicitous beat gesture increases cognitive load during online spoken discourse comprehension. Cognitive Science, 44(10), e12912. 10.1111/cogs.12912
     https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.12912 [Google Scholar]
  56. Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M.
    (1995) Foreign accent, comprehensibility, and intelligibility in the speech of second language learners. Language Learning, 45(1), 73–97. 10.1111/j.1467‑1770.1995.tb00963.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1995.tb00963.x [Google Scholar]
  57. Özer, D., Özyürek, A., & Göksun, T.
    (2025) Spatial working memory is critical for gesture processing: Evidence from gestures with varying semantic links to speech. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 1–15. 10.3758/s13423‑025‑02642‑4
     https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-025-02642-4 [Google Scholar]
  58. Paivio, A.
    (1990) Mental representations: A dual coding approach. Oxford University Press. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195066661.001.0001
     https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195066661.001.0001 [Google Scholar]
  59. Ping, R., Church, R. B., Decatur, M. A., Larson, S. W., Zinchenko, E., & Goldin-Meadow, S.
    (2021) Unpacking the gestures of chemistry learners: What the hands tell us about correct and incorrect conceptions of stereochemistry. Discourse processes, 58(3), 213–232. 10.1080/0163853X.2020.1839343
     https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2020.1839343 [Google Scholar]
  60. Ping, R., Parrill, F., Church, R. B., & Goldin-Meadow, S.
    (2022) Teaching stereoisomers through gesture, action, and mental imagery. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 23(3), 698–713. 10.1039/D1RP00313E
     https://doi.org/10.1039/D1RP00313E [Google Scholar]
  61. Rueckert, L., Church, R. B., Avila, A., & Trejo, T.
    (2017) Gesture enhances learning of a complex statistical concept. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 21, 1–6. 10.1186/s41235‑016‑0036‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-016-0036-1 [Google Scholar]
  62. Shapiro, L.
    (2019) Embodied cognition. Routledge. 10.4324/9781315180380
     https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315180380 [Google Scholar]
  63. Sueyoshi, A., & Hardison, D. M.
    (2005) The role of gestures and facial cues in second language listening comprehension. Language Learning, 55(4), 661–699. 10.1111/j.0023‑8333.2005.00320.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0023-8333.2005.00320.x [Google Scholar]
  64. Tellier, M.
    (2008) The effect of gestures on second language memorisation by young children. Gesture, 8(2), 219–235. 10.1075/gest.8.2.06tel
     https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.8.2.06tel [Google Scholar]
  65. Tsunemoto, A., Lindberg, R., Trofimovich, P., & McDonough, K.
    (2022) Visual cues and rater perceptions of second language comprehensibility, accentedness, and fluency. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 44(3), 659–684. 10.1017/S0272263121000425
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263121000425 [Google Scholar]
  66. Valdiviejas, H., Koumoutsakis, T., Mistak, A., Mogil, A., Ayman-Nolley, S., & Church, R. B.
    (2022) Can gesture help English language learners understand the equal sign?. NABE Journal of Research and Practice, 12(3-4), 121–134. 10.1080/26390043.2022.2091416
     https://doi.org/10.1080/26390043.2022.2091416 [Google Scholar]
  67. Wakefield, E., Novack, M. A., Congdon, E. L., Franconeri, S., & Goldin-Meadow, S.
    (2018) Gesture helps learners learn, but not merely by guiding their visual attention. Developmental Science, 21(6), e12664. 10.1111/desc.12664
     https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12664 [Google Scholar]
  68. Wheeler, P., & Saito, K.
    (2022) Second language speech intelligibility revisited: Differential roles of phonological accuracy, visual speech, and iconic gesture. The Modern Language Journal, 106(2), 10.1111/modl.12779
     https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12779 [Google Scholar]
  69. Witteman, M. J., Bardhan, N. P., Weber, A., & McQueen, J. M.
    (2015) Automaticity and stability of adaptation to a foreign-accented speaker. Language and Speech, 58(2), 168–189. 10.1177/0023830914528102
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830914528102 [Google Scholar]
  70. Yeo, A., Ledesma, I., Nathan, M. J., Alibali, M. W., & Church, R. B.
    (2017) Teachers’ gestures and students’ learning: sometimes “hands off” is better. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 21, 1–11. 10.1186/s41235‑017‑0077‑0
     https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-017-0077-0 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/gest.24037.you
Loading
Hand-y scaffolding:
Gesture 23, 97 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.24037.you
/content/journals/10.1075/gest.24037.you
/content/journals/10.1075/gest.24037.you
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): accent; discourse processing; iconic gesture; L2 accented speech; narrative comprehension

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error