Tohoku University Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center

Acquiring the emotional meanings of second-language (L2) emotional vocabulary (e.g., tanoshimi meaning “joy”) is a significant challenge in language learning. This study explored an effective approach to facilitate L2 emotional vocabulary acquisition by incorporating specially designed emotional expression videos into the learning process. In these videos, actors conveyed the emotional nuances of words through facial expressions and vocal intonations. After the learning session, brain activity during vocabulary processing was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results revealed that learning with emotional videos significantly enhanced activation in brain regions associated with emotional memory. These findings suggest that incorporating both visual and auditory emotional cues can deepen learners’ understanding of emotional vocabulary and contribute to its long-term retention.
These findings were presented at the 2025 winter workshop of the Mechanism of Brain and Mind. (Chunlin)

Chunlin Liu, Takumi Uchihara, Motoaki Sugiura, Ping Li, Hyeonjeong Jeong
Emotional Cues in L2 Vocabulary Acquisition: How Expressive Facial Contexts Enhance the Learning and Retention of L2 Emotional Vocabulary
Winter Workshop on Mechanism of Brain and Mind 2025, Rusutsu Resort Hotel, Hokkaido: Japan【 Poster 】
https://brainmind.jnns.org/wt2025/