ABSTRACT
The type of processing–resource allocation (TOPRA) model predicts that increasing semantic processing can decrease form processing when demands are high. This study tested TOPRA by having English-speaking Spanish learners read Spanish sentences while attempting to learn new words within them. Informational content was greater in a +semantic condition. Comprehension checks were in Spanish in Experiment 1 and in English in Experiment 2. Results of Experiment 1 indicated significantly less word learning in +semantic, consistent with TOPRA; this difference was not statistically significant in Experiment 2, however. Findings are discussed from the perspectives of TOPRA and levels of processing.
