Incidental vocabulary learning from captioned video genres: vocabulary knowledge, comprehension, repetition, and working memory

The present study aims to examine incidental vocabulary learning from different genres of captioned videos while considering frequency, vocabulary knowledge, comprehension, and working memory. A total of 210 learners who learn English as a foreign language (EFL) were assigned to 6 treatment conditions that differed in terms of video genres (comedy, education, and documentary) and the number of times they watched the same video (once and twice), as well as a control group that only took the tests. The participants took a vocabulary test measuring form recognition, meaning recognition, and recall before watching the video, immediately afterward, and 2 weeks after watching it. A content comprehension test was also administered. The results support the role of different video genres in incidental vocabulary learning. In particular, the findings favored the comedy genre. Repetition, i.e. repeated viewing, was found to be significant only for incidental vocabulary learning in the immediate form recognition test. Complex working memory was found to be significant only for incidental vocabulary learning in delayed meaning recognition and recall. The breadth of vocabulary knowledge and comprehension significantly impacted incidental vocabulary learning performance. Relevant implications based on the findings were provided.