When Movement Matters: Articulatory Restriction in Bilingual Word Recognition

Date of Submission

Spring 2026

Document Type

Closed Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

First Advisor

Beatriz Barragan, PhD

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether restricting movement of the lips and tongue affects bilingual word recognition performance in the first language (L1) and a second language (L2). Thirty-two Spanish-English bilingual adults completed a word-to-picture matching task under two conditions: an articulatory restriction condition and a control condition. Performance was measured using accuracy and reaction time. Results showed no significant differences in accuracy between conditions; however, participants demonstrated higher accuracy in L1 compared to L2. In contrast, reaction time revealed that articulatory restriction slowed word recognition, with a more pronounced effect in L2. These findings suggest that articulatory movement plays a role in supporting efficient speech perception, particularly in the L2, which requires greater cognitive and sensorimotor resources. Clinically, these results highlight the importance of considering both L1 and L2 during assessment and intervention and support the incorporation of articulatory-based strategies to facilitate language processing in bilingual individuals.

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