L2 Vocabulary Learning Through Virtual Reality: Effects of Affective and Cognitive Variables

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has shown positive effects on second language (L2) learning, yet the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. Based on the Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL), the present study used structural equation modeling to examine how affective (situational interest, intrinsic motivation, emotions) and cognitive variables (cognitive load, embodied learning, self-efficacy) contribute to receptive L2 vocabulary learning through IVR. A group of native Chinese speakers was asked to learn Korean words in an IVR environment. They were then administered a lexical recognition task that measured learning outcomes. The results revealed two sequences of associations through which IVR affected vocabulary recognition performance: a cognitive path that intersected with presence and self-efficacy; and an affective path that intersected with presence and emotions. Situational interest and intrinsic motivation also demonstrated a sequence of associations with receptive L2 vocabulary recognition. Although further independent confirmation is needed, these findings put forth theoretically meaningful patterns regarding the cognitive-affective mechanisms of IVR-based L2 learning.