مشخصات پژوهش

In the realm of second language acquisition (SLA), listening comprehension is a cornerstone of effective communication and a key skill for language proficiency. Despite its critical role, listening comprehension is often considered one of the most challenging skills for learners to master, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts (Field, 2008). Among the various factors influencing listening comprehension, vocabulary knowledge has been consistently identified as a crucial determinant (Perfetti and Hart, 2002). Vocabulary knowledge not only facilitates the recognition and decoding of lexical items but also contributes to higher-order comprehension processes (Bialystok, 2009). Despite its significance, the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension is neither straightforward nor uniform; it is often mediated by cognitive and learner-specific variables (Cutler, 2012). This research aims to investigate the relationship between Iraqi EFL learners' vocabulary knowledge and their listening comprehension, with a specific focus on the mediating roles of executive functions and proficiency level. The study is theoretically anchored in two prominent theoretical frameworks: The Lexical Quality Hypothesis (Perfetti, 2007) and Hulstijn's (2015) Core-Peripheral Theory of linguistic and non-linguistic factors in language use. Together, these theories provide a comprehensive lens for examining the interplay of linguistic and cognitive factors in listening comprehension. The Lexical Quality Hypothesis (Perfetti, 2007; Perfetti & Hart, 2002) posits that the quality of lexical representations—including their precision, interconnectedness, and accessibility—plays a pivotal role in language comprehension. High-quality lexical representations enable efficient word recognition and integration into larger linguistic structures, thereby enhancing comprehension processes. Conversely, low-quality lexical representations, characterized by incomplet