2025/12/02 by Matías Fernández-Duque, Murielle Standley, Abhijit Sinha Roy +1 · 1 voice
paper · doi:10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal20345
openalex created_date 2025/12/02 · openalex publication_date 2025/12/02 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/14
Abstract Language‐dependent memory refers to a cognitive phenomenon in which memories are easier to access in the language in which they were formed. It was proposed by Marian and Neisser in 2000 in a study that revealed that bilinguals show better memory when the languages of encoding and recall are the same than when they are different. For both episodic and semantic memory, bilinguals remember events and general knowledge better when the language of encoding and retrieval match. Language‐dependent memory effects are also present in real‐world educational and clinical settings. In schools, bilingual students can benefit from being tested in the same language in which they learned the information. In psychotherapy, therapists can leverage bilingual patients' languages when discussing past experiences and/or treating trauma. Several potential mechanisms and theories can explain language‐dependent memory: (a) the encoding specificity principle (which proposes that similar external and internal contexts at encoding and retrieval facilitate memory), (b) grammatical differences between languages (which facilitate encoding of unique event details), (c) dual‐language activation during speech processing (which guides attention to specific items), (d) the dual coding theory (which suggests that bilinguals can access memories via two linguistic routes), and (e) connections between neurons (which are strengthened when linguistic contexts match). Here, we provide an overview of language‐dependent memory, describe the circumstances under which it can be observed, and discuss theoretical frameworks. We conclude by suggesting future research directions that can further uncover the power language has in crafting our past, present, and future selves.