HOW SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM MEMORY AFFECT VOCABULARY ACQUISITION: A PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERSPECTIVE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition is a central component of language learning, especially in the context of higher education where academic language proficiency is crucial. From a psycholinguistic perspective, both short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) play essential roles in how learners perceive, store, and retrieve lexical items. This paper explores the cognitive mechanisms
involved in vocabulary learning among university students, emphasizing the contributions of STM and LTM, and discusses implications for language instruction in higher education.