The effect of increase in task cognitive complexity on Iranian EFL learners’ accuracy and linguistic complexity: A test of Robinson’s Cognition Hypothesis

Abstract

Designing a task with a reasonable level of cognitive complexity has always been important for <br />syllabus designers, teachers, as well as researchers. This is because task manipulation may lead <br />to different results in oral production. The present study was an attempt to explore the effect of <br />this manipulation - based on Robinson's resource-directing model (reasoning demands, <br />number of elements, and here and now versus there and then condition) - on picture narration. <br />The study included 30 Iranian EFL learners at the intermediate level between the ages of 21 <br />and 34. They were all native speakers of Persian. Each participant was required to perform the <br />simple version as well as the complex version of the same picture narration task. The <br />participants' speechwas audio-recorded and the results revealed that an increase in task <br />cognitive complexity leads to greater accuracy and linguistic complexity.