1
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Pereira Soares SM, Prystauka Y, DeLuca V, Poch C, Rothman J. Brain correlates of attentional load processing reflect degree of bilingual engagement: Evidence from EEG. Neuroimage 2024; 298:120786. [PMID: 39147289 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study uses electroencephalography (EEG) with an N-back task (0-, 1-, and 2-back) to investigate if and how individual bilingual experiences modulate brain activity and cognitive processes. The N-back is an especially appropriate task given recent proposals situating bilingual effects on neurocognition within the broader attentional control system (Bialystok and Craik, 2022). Beyond its working memory component, the N-Back task builds in complexity incrementally, progressively taxing the attentional system. EEG, behavioral and language/social background data were collected from 60 bilinguals. Two cognitive loads were calculated: low (1-back minus 0-back) and high (2-back minus 0-back). Behavioral performance and brain recruitment were modeled as a function of individual differences in bilingual engagement. We predicted task performance as modulated by bilingual engagement would reflect cognitive demands of increased complexity: slower reaction times and lower accuracy, and increase in theta, decrease in alpha and modulated N2/P3 amplitudes. The data show no modulation of the expected behavioral effects by degree of bilingual engagement. However, individual differences analyses reveal significant correlations between non-societal language use in Social contexts and alpha in the low cognitive load condition and age of acquisition of the L2/2L1 with theta in the high cognitive load. These findings lend some initial support to Bialystok and Craik (2022), showing how certain adaptations at the brain level take place in order to deal with the cognitive demands associated with variations in bilingual language experience and increases in attentional load. Furthermore, the present data highlight how these effects can play out differentially depending on cognitive testing/modalities - that is, effects were found at the TFR level but not behaviorally or in the ERPs, showing how the choice of analysis can be deterministic when investigating bilingual effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yanina Prystauka
- Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Claudia Poch
- Nebrija Research Center in Cognition, University of Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jason Rothman
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Nebrija Research Center in Cognition, University of Nebrija, Madrid, Spain; Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK
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2
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Bialystok E. Bilingualism modifies cognition through adaptation, not transfer. Trends Cogn Sci 2024:S1364-6613(24)00199-2. [PMID: 39164150 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
The standard explanation for bilingual effects on cognition is that an aspect of language processing transfers to nonverbal cognitive performance, leading to improvements in executive functioning. However, much evidence is incompatible with that view, and transfer across those domains seems unlikely. The present argument is that bilingual experience modifies cognition through an adaptation to the underlying attention system, making attention more efficient. 'Transfer' focuses on the overlap of specific processes, so task similarity predicts outcomes. By contrast, 'adaptation' focuses on recruitment of the modified resource, so the degree of attention required predicts outcome. In this view, bilinguals require less attentional effort than monolinguals for similar levels of performance, and outperform monolinguals on tasks with high attention demands regardless of task similarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
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3
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Sarafoglou A, Hoogeveen S, van den Bergh D, Aczel B, Albers CJ, Althoff T, Botvinik-Nezer R, Busch NA, Cataldo AM, Devezer B, van Dongen NNN, Dreber A, Fried EI, Hoekstra R, Hoffman S, Holzmeister F, Huber J, Huntington-Klein N, Ioannidis J, Johannesson M, Kirchler M, Loken E, Mangin JF, Matzke D, Menkveld AJ, Nilsonne G, van Ravenzwaaij D, Schweinsberg M, Schulz-Kuempel H, Shanks DR, Simons DJ, Spellman BA, Stoevenbelt AH, Szaszi B, Trübutschek D, Tuerlinckx F, Uhlmann EL, Vanpaemel W, Wicherts J, Wagenmakers EJ. Subjective evidence evaluation survey for many-analysts studies. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240125. [PMID: 39050728 PMCID: PMC11265885 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Many-analysts studies explore how well an empirical claim withstands plausible alternative analyses of the same dataset by multiple, independent analysis teams. Conclusions from these studies typically rely on a single outcome metric (e.g. effect size) provided by each analysis team. Although informative about the range of plausible effects in a dataset, a single effect size from each team does not provide a complete, nuanced understanding of how analysis choices are related to the outcome. We used the Delphi consensus technique with input from 37 experts to develop an 18-item subjective evidence evaluation survey (SEES) to evaluate how each analysis team views the methodological appropriateness of the research design and the strength of evidence for the hypothesis. We illustrate the usefulness of the SEES in providing richer evidence assessment with pilot data from a previous many-analysts study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Don van den Bergh
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Balazs Aczel
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Lorénd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Casper J. Albers
- Heymans Institute for Psychological Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Althoff
- Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rotem Botvinik-Nezer
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Niko A. Busch
- Institute for Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea M. Cataldo
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Berna Devezer
- Department of Business, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | | | - Anna Dreber
- Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden
- University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria
| | - Eiko I. Fried
- Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rink Hoekstra
- Nieuwenhuis Institute for Educational Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine Hoffman
- Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Huber
- University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria
| | | | - John Ioannidis
- Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) and Departments of Medicine, of Epidemiology and of Population Health, of Biomedical Data Science, and of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Loken
- University of Conneticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Jan-Francois Mangin
- University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Neurospin CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, Île-de-France, France
| | - Dora Matzke
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Don van Ravenzwaaij
- Heymans Institute for Psychological Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hannah Schulz-Kuempel
- Department of Statistics and The Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology, LMU Munich, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
- The Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology, LMU Munich, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
| | - David R. Shanks
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK
| | | | - Barbara A. Spellman
- School of Law, University of Virginia, 580 Massie Road, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Andrea H. Stoevenbelt
- Nieuwenhuis Institute for Educational Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barnabas Szaszi
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Lorénd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | | | | | - Jelte Wicherts
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
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4
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Calignano G, Girardi P, Altoè G. First steps into the pupillometry multiverse of developmental science. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:3346-3365. [PMID: 37442879 PMCID: PMC11133157 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02172-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Pupillometry has been widely implemented to investigate cognitive functioning since infancy. Like most psychophysiological and behavioral measures, it implies hierarchical levels of arbitrariness in preprocessing before statistical data analysis. By means of an illustrative example, we checked the robustness of the results of a familiarization procedure that compared the impact of audiovisual and visual stimuli in 12-month-olds. We adopted a multiverse approach to pupillometry data analysis to explore the role of (1) the preprocessing phase, that is, handling of extreme values, selection of the areas of interest, management of blinks, baseline correction, participant inclusion/exclusion and (2) the modeling structure, that is, the incorporation of smoothers, fixed and random effects structure, in guiding the parameter estimation. The multiverse of analyses shows how the preprocessing steps influenced the regression results, and when visual stimuli plausibly predicted an increase of resource allocation compared with audiovisual stimuli. Importantly, smoothing time in statistical models increased the plausibility of the results compared to those nested models that do not weigh the impact of time. Finally, we share theoretical and methodological tools to move the first steps into (rather than being afraid of) the inherent uncertainty of infant pupillometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Calignano
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Paolo Girardi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Department of Environmental Sciences Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University, Venice, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Altoè
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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5
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Dentella V, Masullo C, Leivada E. Bilingual disadvantages are systematically compensated by bilingual advantages across tasks and populations. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2107. [PMID: 38267616 PMCID: PMC10808122 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52417-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism is linked to both enhanced and hampered performance in various cognitive measures, yet the extent to which these bilingual advantages and disadvantages co-occur is unclear. To address this gap, we perform a systematic review and two quantitative analyses. First, we analyze results from 39 studies, obtained through the PRISMA method. Less than 50% of the studies that show up as results for the term "bilingual disadvantage" report exclusively a disadvantage, that shows bilinguals performing worse than monolinguals in a task. A Bayesian analysis reveals robust evidence for bilingual effects, but no evidence for differences in the proportion of advantages and disadvantages, suggesting that when results from different cognitive domains such as executive functions and verbal fluency are analyzed together, bilingual effects amount to a zero-sum game. This finding was replicated by repeating the analysis, using the datasets of two recent meta-analyses. We propose that the equilibrium we observe between positive and negative outcomes may not be accidental. Contrary to widespread belief, advantageous and disadvantageous effects are not stand-alone outcomes in free variation. We reframe them as the connatural components of a dynamic trade-off, whereby enhanced performance in one cognitive measure is offset by an incurred cost in another domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Dentella
- Department of English and German Studies, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Camilla Masullo
- Department of English and German Studies, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Evelina Leivada
- Department of Catalan Philology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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6
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Zapparrata NM, Brooks PJ, Ober TM. Slower Processing Speed in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analytic Investigation of Time-Based Tasks. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4618-4640. [PMID: 36112302 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05736-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition affecting information processing across domains. The current meta-analysis investigated whether slower processing speed is associated with the ASD neurocognitive profile and whether findings hold across different time-based tasks and stimuli (social vs. nonsocial; linguistic vs. nonlinguistic). Mean RTs of ASD and age-matched neurotypical comparison groups (N = 893 ASD, 1063 neurotypical; mean age ASD group = 17 years) were compared across simple RT, choice RT, and interference control tasks (44 studies, 106 effects) using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Simple RT tasks required participants to respond to individual stimuli, whereas choice RT tasks required forced-choice responses to two or more stimuli. Interference control tasks required a decision in the context of a distractor or priming stimulus; in an effort to minimize inhibitory demands, we extracted RTs only from baseline and congruent conditions of such tasks. All tasks required nonverbal (motor) responses. The overall effect-size estimate indicated significantly longer mean RTs in ASD groups (g = .35, 95% CI = .16; .54) than comparison groups. Task type moderated effects, with larger estimates drawn from simple RT tasks than interference control tasks. However, across all three task types, ASD groups exhibited significantly longer mean RTs than comparison groups. Stimulus type and age did not moderate effects. Generalized slowing may be a domain-general characteristic of ASD with potential consequences for social, language, and motor development. Assessing processing speed may inform development of interventions to support autistic individuals and their diverse cognitive profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Zapparrata
- The College of Staten Island, City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA.
- Educational Psychology Program, The CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Patricia J Brooks
- The College of Staten Island, City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
- Educational Psychology Program, The CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Teresa M Ober
- University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
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7
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Achaa-Amankwaa P, Kushnereva E, Miksch H, Stumme J, Heim S, Ebersbach M. Multilingualism is associated with small task-specific advantages in cognitive performance of older adults. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16912. [PMID: 37805638 PMCID: PMC10560281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43961-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The protective effects of multiple language knowledge on the maintenance of cognitive functions in older adults have been discussed controversially, among others, because of methodological inconsistencies between studies. In a sample of N = 528 German monolinguals and multilinguals (speaking two or more languages) older than 60 years, this study examined (1) whether speaking multiple languages is positively related to performance on tasks of interference suppression, working memory, concept shifting, and phonemic and semantic fluency, and (2) whether language proficiency and age of second language acquisition (AoA) are associated with cognitive performance of multilinguals. Controlling for education and daily activity, we found small cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages on interference suppression, working memory, and phonemic fluency, but not on concept shifting and semantic fluency. Furthermore, no substantive correlations were found between language proficiency or AoA and cognitive performance. In conclusion, multilingualism appears to have small incremental effects on cognitive performance beyond education and daily activity in older age that are task-specific and widely independent of proficiency and AoA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Achaa-Amankwaa
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany.
| | - Ekaterina Kushnereva
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
| | - Hanna Miksch
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
| | - Johanna Stumme
- Institute of Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stefan Heim
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mirjam Ebersbach
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
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8
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Leivada E. A Classification Bias and an Exclusion Bias Jointly Overinflated the Estimation of Publication Biases in Bilingualism Research. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:812. [PMID: 37887462 PMCID: PMC10604195 DOI: 10.3390/bs13100812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A publication bias has been argued to affect the fate of results in bilingualism research. It was repeatedly suggested that studies presenting evidence for bilingual advantages are more likely to be published compared to studies that do not report results in favor of the bilingual advantage hypothesis. This work goes back to the original claim and re-examines both the dataset and the classification of the studies that were employed. We find that the exclusion of published works such as doctoral dissertations, book chapters, and conference proceedings from the original dataset significantly inflated the presumed publication bias. Moreover, the estimation of the publication bias was affected by a classification bias that uses a mega-category that consists of both null and negative outcomes. Yet finding evidence for a bilingual disadvantage is not synonymous with obtaining a result indistinguishable from zero. Consequently, grouping together null and negative findings in a mega-category has various ramifications, not only for the estimation of the presumed publication bias but also for the field's ability to appreciate the insofar hidden correlations between bilingual advantages and disadvantages. Tracking biases that inflate scientific results is important, but it is not enough. The next step is recognizing the nested Matryoshka doll effect of bias-within-bias, and this entails raising awareness for one's own bias blind spots in science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Leivada
- Departament de Filologia Catalana, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Antoniou K. The ups and downs of bilingualism: A review of the literature on executive control using event-related potentials. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:1187-1226. [PMID: 36703091 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02245-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Whether bilingualism enhances executive control (EC) is controversial. This article reviews 24 studies on the bilingual EC effect using event-related potentials (ERPs). It evaluates the evidence based on considerations of neural efficiency, different EC theories, and accounts regarding the locus of the bilingual effect. The review finds some evidence for a positive bilingual impact. This is more consistent for the P3 and response-locked ERPs. Moreover, when considering each component independently, evidence primarily supports a monitoring and secondarily an inhibition locus. Additionally, an N2/ERN (error-related negativity) dissociation (no bilingual N2 effect but positive ERN impact, evident as smaller ERN), coupled with the P3 results, suggest that monitoring may not be the (only) locus of a bilingual effect but (an)other post-monitoring mechanism(s). Attention disengagement also receives some support. Finally, results across studies are largely consistent with the Bilingualism Anterior to Posterior and Subcortical Shift model (BAPSS): Bilingual effects, when found, often manifest as shorter latencies, larger components or wider amplitude effects during earlier (N2, P3) but smaller components or narrower effects during later processing (stimulus-locked negativities and response-locked components). However, this evidence is not unequivocal. Many bilingual-monolingual comparisons reveal null or some suggest negative or opposite to prediction bilingual effects. Second, the scant evidence about which bilingual experiences impact EC is, generally, unclear, while some evidence indicates negative effects. Third, BAPSS is often not confirmed when multiple components are examined within subjects. Finally, this literature is challenged by confounds and small samples. Further research is required to conclude a positive bilingual effect on EC in ERPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriakos Antoniou
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, 15 Vragadinou Street, 3041, Limassol, Cyprus.
- Hellenic Open University, Patra, Greece.
- Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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10
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Botvinik-Nezer R, Wager TD. Reproducibility in Neuroimaging Analysis: Challenges and Solutions. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:780-788. [PMID: 36906444 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have marked a renaissance in efforts to increase research reproducibility in psychology, neuroscience, and related fields. Reproducibility is the cornerstone of a solid foundation of fundamental research-one that will support new theories built on valid findings and technological innovation that works. The increased focus on reproducibility has made the barriers to it increasingly apparent, along with the development of new tools and practices to overcome these barriers. Here, we review challenges, solutions, and emerging best practices with a particular emphasis on neuroimaging studies. We distinguish 3 main types of reproducibility, discussing each in turn. Analytical reproducibility is the ability to reproduce findings using the same data and methods. Replicability is the ability to find an effect in new datasets, using the same or similar methods. Finally, robustness to analytical variability refers to the ability to identify a finding consistently across variation in methods. The incorporation of these tools and practices will result in more reproducible, replicable, and robust psychological and brain research and a stronger scientific foundation across fields of inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Botvinik-Nezer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire.
| | - Tor D Wager
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
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11
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Bylund E, Antfolk J, Abrahamsson N, Olstad AMH, Norrman G, Lehtonen M. Does bilingualism come with linguistic costs? A meta-analytic review of the bilingual lexical deficit. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:897-913. [PMID: 36327027 PMCID: PMC10264296 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02136-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A series of recent studies have shown that the once-assumed cognitive advantage of bilingualism finds little support in the evidence available to date. Surprisingly, however, the view that bilingualism incurs linguistic costs (the so-called lexical deficit) has not yet been subjected to the same degree of scrutiny, despite its centrality for our understanding of the human capacity for language. The current study implemented a comprehensive meta-analysis to address this gap. By analyzing 478 effect sizes from 130 studies on expressive vocabulary, we found that observed lexical deficits could not be attributed to bilingualism: Simultaneous bilinguals (who acquired both languages from birth) did not exhibit any lexical deficit, nor did sequential bilinguals (who acquired one language from birth and a second language after that) when tested in their mother tongue. Instead, systematic evidence for a lexical deficit was found among sequential bilinguals when tested in their second language, and more so for late than for early second language learners. This result suggests that a lexical deficit may be a phenomenon of second language acquisition rather than bilingualism per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Bylund
- Department of General Linguistics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
- Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | | | | | | | - Minna Lehtonen
- University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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12
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Andras F, Ramos MÁ, Macizo P. The impact of bilingualism in within-language conflict resolution: an ERP study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1173486. [PMID: 37303909 PMCID: PMC10248526 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1173486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We compared Spanish (L1)-English (L2) bilinguals and Spanish monolinguals in a semantic judgment relationship task in L1 that produced within-language conflict due to the coactivation of the two meanings of a Spanish homophone (e.g., "hola" and "ola" meaning "hello" and "a wave" in English). In this task, participants indicated if pairs of words were related or not ("agua-hola," "water-hello"). Conflict arose because a word ("agua," "water") not related to the orthographic form of a homophone ("hola," "hello") was related to the alternative orthographic form ("ola," "wave"). Compared to a control condition with unrelated word pairs ("peluche-hola," "teddy-hello"), the behavioral results revealed greater behavioral interference in monolinguals compared to bilinguals. In addition, electrophysiological results revealed N400 differences between monolinguals and bilinguals. These results are discussed around the impact of bilingualism on conflict resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Andras
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Ramos
- Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Macizo
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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13
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Carter F, DeLuca V, Segaert K, Mazaheri A, Krott A. Functional neural architecture of cognitive control mediates the relationship between individual differences in bilingual experience and behaviour. Neuroimage 2023; 273:120085. [PMID: 37019347 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilinguals have often, but not always, been found to outperform monolinguals on domain-general attentional control. Inconsistent findings have been argued to stem, at least partly, from treating bilingualism as a uniform category and from not considering how neural adaptations to bilingual experiences modulate behavioural outcomes. The present study investigated how patterns of language experience, including language switching behaviour, duration and intensity/diversity of bilingual language use, influence the brain processes underlying cognitive control, and how these in turn translate to cognitive control performance. We examined reaction times and spectral dynamics of the electroencephalograms (EEG) of two-hundred-and-thirty-nine participants (about 70% bilinguals) with diverse language experiences during two cognitive control paradigms testing interference suppression (flanker and Simon task). Using structural equation modelling, we found that different bilingual experience factors were related with neurocognitive measures, which in turn were related with behavioural interference effects, for the flanker but not the Simon task. More specifically, increased frequency of language switching and intensity / diversity of bilingual language usage was negatively related to induced top-down control measures (especially midline-frontal theta), which in turn was beneficial for interference control. In contrast, duration of bilingual engagement correlated negatively with evoked bottom-up control measures (especially P3) and was therefore detrimental to interference control. We demonstrate here for the first time how the different factors of bilingual experience lead to different neural adaptations which impact behavioural outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Like other intensive experiences, bilingualism leads to brain adaptations. It results in structural changes in language areas, and, due to demands on language control, in brain areas associated with domain-general cognitive control. Related to this, bilinguals often outperform monolinguals on cognitive control tasks. But what is often ignored is that bilingualism is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, with variations such as diversity of language usage and duration of language use. The present large-scale study of neural functioning in bilingualism revealed for the first time how individual differences in bilingual experience lead to adaptations to brain functioning which in turn affect cognitive control behaviour. It exemplifies how the complexity of individual experiences plays a fundamental role in brain function.
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14
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Wu YJ, Dang Q, Zhang Z, Zhang H, Guo T. Multivariate decoding methods reveal how speaking two dialects affects executive functions. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:840-853. [PMID: 36656284 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
How speaking two languages affects executive functions has been a long-standing debate and the mechanisms underlying the observed cognitive advantages of bilingualism remain unspecified. Here, using multivariate pattern classification methods, we decoded spatial patterns of neural signals associated with Flanker task performance in mono-dialectal and bi-dialectal speakers of Chinese. While univariate approach to even-related potentials (ERPs) showed no between-group difference, decoding accuracy of ERPs was reduced in bi-dialectal as compared to mono-dialectal speakers in both congruent-neutral and incongruent-neutral classifications. There was no effect of bidialectalism, however, on decoding accuracy of alpha-band oscillations, an electrophysiological index implicated in inhibition. Behavioural data analysed using the Drift Diffusion Model (DDM) showed facilitating effects of bidialectalism on non-decision times but no effect on drift rates. These findings demonstrate that using two dialects on a daily basis enhances general attentional deployment rather than affecting specific component of executive functions such as inhibitory control. Given that the two dialects of Chinese differed almost exclusively in phonology, the bidialectalism effect was most likely motivated by resolving phonological competition at lexical processing level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Jing Wu
- School of Linguistic Sciences and Arts, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China.,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Language Ability, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qinpu Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Haoyun Zhang
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Taomei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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15
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Meltzer JA, Kates Rose M, Le AY, Spencer KA, Goldstein L, Gubanova A, Lai AC, Yossofzai M, Armstrong SEM, Bialystok E. Improvement in executive function for older adults through smartphone apps: a randomized clinical trial comparing language learning and brain training. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2023; 30:150-171. [PMID: 34694201 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.1991262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Bilingualism has been linked to improved executive function and delayed onset of dementia, but it is unknown whether similar benefits can be obtained later in life through deliberate intervention. Given the logistical hurdles of second language acquisition in a randomized trial for older adults, few interventional studies have been done thus far. However, recently developed smartphone apps offer a convenient means to acquire skills in a second language and can be compared with brain training apps specifically designed to improve executive function. In a randomized clinical trial, 76 adults aged 65-75 were assigned to either 16 weeks of Spanish learning using the app Duolingo 30 minutes a day, an equivalent amount of brain training using the app BrainHQ, or a waitlist control condition. Executive function was assessed before and after the intervention with preregistered (NCT03638882) tests previously linked to better performance in bilinguals. For two of the primary measures: incongruent Stroop color naming and 2-back accuracy, Duolingo provided equivalent benefits as BrainHQ compared to a control group. On reaction time for N-back and Simon tests, the BrainHQ group alone experienced strong gains over the other two groups. Duolingo was rated as more enjoyable. These results suggest that app-based language learning may provide some similar benefits as brain training in improving executive function in seniors but has less impact on processing speed. However, future advancements in app design may optimize not only the acquisition of the target language but also the side benefits of the language learning experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed A Meltzer
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada.,Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada.,Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, Ottawa ON, Canada
| | - Mira Kates Rose
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | - Anna Y Le
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | - Kiah A Spencer
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | - Leora Goldstein
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | - Alina Gubanova
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | - Abbie C Lai
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | - Maryam Yossofzai
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada
| | | | - Ellen Bialystok
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
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16
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Calvo N, Grundy JG, Bialystok E. Bilingualism modulates neural efficiency at rest through alpha reactivity. Neuropsychologia 2023; 180:108486. [PMID: 36657519 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate how resting state EEG rhythms reflect attentional processes and bilingual experience. We compared alpha and beta rhythms for monolingual and bilingual young adults in eyes open and eyes closed conditions using EEG measures of frequency power, reactivity, and coherence. Power shows the amount of brain activity at a given frequency band; reactivity indexes the desynchronization of neuronal activity when individuals open their eyes at rest; and coherence indicates the brain regions that have correlated activity. The results showed that bilinguals had similar alpha power as monolinguals in both resting conditions but less alpha reactivity across the whole scalp. There was also more focused activation for bilinguals expressed as more coherence in posterior electrodes, particularly when eyes were opened to direct attention. For beta, there were no group differences in power or reactivity, but there was higher coherence for monolinguals than bilinguals, a pattern consistent with previous literature showing that beta frequency was related to language learning and native language proficiency. These results are in line with a neural efficiency theory and suggest that bilinguals have a more efficient brain for attentional mechanisms than monolinguals at rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G Grundy
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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17
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Gullifer JW, Pivneva I, Whitford V, Sheikh NA, Titone D. Bilingual Language Experience and Its Effect on Conflict Adaptation in Reactive Inhibitory Control Tasks. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:238-251. [PMID: 36454726 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221113764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We used machine-learning techniques to assess interactions between language and cognitive systems related to inhibitory control and conflict adaptation in reactive control tasks. We built theoretically driven candidate models of Simon and Number Stroop task data (N = 777 adult bilinguals ages 18-43 years living in Montréal, Canada) that differed in whether bilingual experience interacted with inhibitory control, including two forms of conflict adaptation: shorter term sequential congruency effects and longer term trial order effects. Models with continuous aspects of bilingual experience provided signal in predicting new, unmodeled data. Specifically, mixed language usage predicted trial order adaptation to conflict. This effect was restricted to Number Stroop, which overtly involves linguistic or symbolic information and relatively higher language- and response-related uncertainty. These results suggest that bilingual experience adaptively tunes aspects of the control system and offers a novel integrative modeling approach that can be used to pursue other complex individual difference questions within the psychological sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Gullifer
- Department of Psychology, McGill University.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University
| | - Irina Pivneva
- Department of Psychology, McGill University.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University
| | - Veronica Whitford
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University.,Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick
| | - Naveed A Sheikh
- Department of Psychology, McGill University.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University
| | - Debra Titone
- Department of Psychology, McGill University.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University
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18
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Kim Y, Ye Z, Leventhal Z, Wang WJ, Thiessen ED. Effects of language background on executive function: Transfer across task and modality. Front Psychol 2023; 13:923123. [PMID: 36687953 PMCID: PMC9849579 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.923123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The relation between linguistic experience and cognitive function has been of great interest, but recent investigations of this question have produced widely disparate results, ranging from proposals for a "bilingual advantage," to a "bilingual disadvantage," to claims of no difference at all as a function of language. There are many possible sources for this lack of consensus, including the heterogeneity of bilingual populations, and the choice of different tasks and implementations across labs. We propose that another reason for this inconsistency is the task demands of transferring from linguistic experience to laboratory tasks can differ greatly as the task is modified. In this study, we show that task modality (visual, audio, and orthographic) can yield different patterns of performance between monolingual and multilingual participants. The very same task can show similarities or differences in performance, as a function of modality. In turn, this may be explained by the distance of transfer - how close (or far) the laboratory task is to the day to day lived experience of language usage. We suggest that embodiment may provide a useful framework for thinking about task transfer by helping to define the processes of linguistic production and comprehension in ways that are easily connected to task manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeonwoo Kim
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Zixuan Ye
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Zachary Leventhal
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Economics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Wei-Ju Wang
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Erik D. Thiessen
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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19
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Carthery-Goulart MT, Privitera AJ, Weekes BS. Does Language Distance Modulate the Contribution of Bilingualism to Cognitive Reserve in Seniors? A Systematic Review. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2023; 38:15333175231167223. [PMID: 37186676 PMCID: PMC10623985 DOI: 10.1177/15333175231167223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We report a systematic review and exploratory meta-regression investigating the hypothesis that the effects of bilingualism on cognitive reserve are modulated by the distance between the pair of languages a bilingual uses. An inclusive multiple database search was performed in order to identify all relevant published research conducted in bilingual seniors. A combination of qualitative and quantitative synthesis methods were used in order to investigate our research questions. Results suggest that healthy bilingual seniors speaking more distant language pairs show improved monitoring performance on cognitive tasks. Evidence regarding a modulatory influence of language distance (LD) on the age of dementia diagnosis was inconclusive due to the small number of published studies meeting our inclusion criteria. We recommend more detailed reporting of individual differences in bilingual experience to assess the impact of LD and other variables on typical cognitive aging and the development of dementia. Linguistic differences in samples should also be considered as a constraint on bilingual advantages in future studies. Preregistration: PROSPERO CRD42021238705; OSF DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/VPRBU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Carthery-Goulart
- Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Center for Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Das Clínicas, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Adam John Privitera
- Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Centre for Research and Development in Learning, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Brendan Stuart Weekes
- Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIA, Australia
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20
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Grossmann JA, Aschenbrenner S, Teichmann B, Meyer P. Foreign language learning can improve response inhibition in individuals with lower baseline cognition: Results from a randomized controlled superiority trial. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1123185. [PMID: 37032827 PMCID: PMC10076596 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1123185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The world's population is aging, increasing the prevalence of dementia. Recently, foreign language learning in later life has been suggested to improve cognition and thus support healthy cognitive aging. To date, however, there are only a few studies with conflicting findings. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether learning a foreign language can improve executive attention and executive functions in healthy older adults. Additionally, we sought to identify factors affecting cognitive change in foreign language learners, such as cognitive reserve, previous foreign knowledge and usage, and global cognition at baseline. Methods In a randomized-controlled trial, we assigned 34 monolinguals between the ages of 65 and 80 to a language learning or a waiting list control group. The participants enrolled in a Spanish course for beginners that met five days a week for 1.5 h for a total of 3 weeks. The waiting list control group received no intervention but had the opportunity to join the language training at the end of the study. All participants underwent an assessment of executive attention (primary outcome), executive functions, verbal fluency, and attention (secondary outcomes) before, immediately after the course, or after a waiting period of 3 weeks for the control group and 3 months after the course or the waiting period. Results Foreign language learning did not significantly improve primary or secondary outcomes, neither immediately nor 3 months after the course. However, moderation analyses revealed that participants with lower global baseline cognition tended to improve more on response inhibition than individuals with higher baseline cognition. This relationship was not evident in the waiting list control group. Discussion Our results suggest that studying a foreign language does not generally improve executive attention or executive functioning. Nevertheless, individuals with poorer baseline cognition may benefit cognitively from foreign language learning in response inhibition, a domain particularly affected by cognitive aging. Our findings highlight the need of focusing dementia prevention efforts on groups that are more vulnerable to cognitive decline. Additionally, more individualized approaches, including utilizing technology-assisted learning, might enable participants to practice at their performance level, increasing the likelihood of discernible cognitive gains. Clinical trial registration https://drks.de/search/en, identifier DRKS00016552.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Alina Grossmann
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Judith Alina Grossmann,
| | - Steffen Aschenbrenner
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, SRH Clinic Karlsbad-Langensteinbach, Karlsbad, Germany
| | - Birgit Teichmann
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patric Meyer
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- School of Applied Psychology, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department for General and Applied Linguistics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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21
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Markiewicz R, Mazaheri A, Krott A. Bilingualism can cause enhanced monitoring and occasional delayed responses in a flanker task. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:129-147. [PMID: 36373596 PMCID: PMC10100525 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Complex cognitive tasks require different stages of processing (i.e. conflict monitoring, attentional resource allocation and stimulus categorisation). Performance differences between bilinguals and monolinguals on conflict tasks can be affected by the balance of these sub-processes. The current study investigated the effect of bilingualism on these sub-processes during a conflict task with medium monitoring demand. Behavioural responses and evoked potentials from bilinguals and monolinguals were examined during a flanker task with 25% incongruent trials. Behavioural differences were analysed by means of averaged response times and exponentially modified Gaussian analyses of response time distributions. For evoked potentials, the study focussed on N2 (reflecting conflict monitoring) and P3 responses (reflecting allocation of attentional resources for cognitive control). Bilinguals had significantly longer response distribution tails compared to monolinguals. Bilinguals were shown to have a more pronounced N2 and smaller P3 compared to monolinguals, independent of condition, suggesting a different balance of sub-processes for the two groups. This suggests that bilinguals were engaged more strongly in monitoring processes, leading to the allocation of fewer attentional resources during stimulus categorisation. Additionally, the P3 amplitudes were negatively related with the length of response distribution tails for bilinguals. These results are consistent with enhanced conflict monitoring in bilinguals that led to reduced engagement of attentional resources for stimulus categorisation. This enhanced conflict monitoring could lead to occasional extremely slow responses. Thus, the bilingual experience appears to impact the balance of cognitive control processes during conflict tasks, which might only be reflected in a minority of responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Mazaheri
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andrea Krott
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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22
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Johann VE, Enke S, Gunzenhauser C, Könen T, Saalbach H, Karbach J. Executive functions in mono- and bilingual children: Factor structure and relations with fluid intelligence. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 224:105515. [PMID: 35933882 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The effects of bilingualism on executive functions (EFs) and intelligence are still controversially discussed. Most studies have focused on performance differences without considering the underlying structure of cognitive abilities. Thus, we examined whether the structure of EFs and the relations of EFs with intelligence differ between mono- and bilingual children. A total of 240 elementary school children (mean age = 8 years 6 months; 133 monolinguals and 95 bilinguals) performed two tasks measuring working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and fluid intelligence, respectively. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that one common EF factor provided the best fit to the data in both language groups, indicating that bilingualism is not associated with differences in the EF structure at this age. Moreover, there were no latent performance differences in either EFs or intelligence between mono- and bilingual children. However, we found a stronger relation between a common EF factor and fluid intelligence in bilingual children as compared with monolingual children, implying a closer coupling of EFs and intelligence abilities in bilingual children. This contributes to explaining the previous heterogeneous findings on the task level because more closely coupled cognitive functioning can be slightly beneficial for some tasks and irrelevant or even slightly obstructive for others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena E Johann
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany; Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive of Children at Risk (IDeA), 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Susanne Enke
- Department of Educational Psychology, Leipzig University, 04109 Leipzig, Germany; Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Catherine Gunzenhauser
- Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, 04109 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Educational Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79085 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Tanja Könen
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany; Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive of Children at Risk (IDeA), 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Psychology, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
| | - Henrik Saalbach
- Department of Educational Psychology, Leipzig University, 04109 Leipzig, Germany; Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany; Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive of Children at Risk (IDeA), 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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23
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Shaharban N, Rangaiah B, Thirumeni D. Executive control functions and theory of mind among plurilingual adults. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2022.2119989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- N.V. Shaharban
- Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
| | - B. Rangaiah
- Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
| | - D. Thirumeni
- Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
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24
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Studenica A, Laketa A, Chrysochoou E, Blakey E, Vivas AB. The influence of bilingualism on adolescent cognition: The roles of biculturalism, the bilingual profile, and linguistic similarity. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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25
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Chung-Fat-Yim A, Calvo N, Grundy JG. The Multifaceted Nature of Bilingualism and Attention. Front Psychol 2022; 13:910382. [PMID: 35719564 PMCID: PMC9205563 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.910382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention has recently been proposed as the mechanism underlying the cognitive effects associated with bilingualism. However, similar to bilingualism, the term attention is complex, dynamic, and can vary from one activity to another. Throughout our daily lives, we use different types of attention that differ in complexity: sustained attention, selective attention, alternating attention, divided attention, and disengagement of attention. The present paper is a focused review summarizing the results from studies that explore the link between bilingualism and attention. For each level of attention, a brief overview of relevant theoretical models will be discussed along with a spotlight on paradigms and tasks used to measure these forms of attention. The findings illustrate that different types and levels of attention are modified by the variety of bilingual experiences. Future studies wishing to examine the effects of bilingualism on attention are encouraged to embrace the complexity and diversity of both constructs rather than making global claims about bilingualism and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G. Grundy
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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26
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Wagner D, Bialystok E, Grundy JG. What Is a Language? Who Is Bilingual? Perceptions Underlying Self-Assessment in Studies of Bilingualism. Front Psychol 2022; 13:863991. [PMID: 35645938 PMCID: PMC9134110 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.863991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the cognitive consequences of bilingualism typically proceeds by labeling participants as "monolingual" or "bilingual" and comparing performance on some measures across these groups. It is well-known that this approach has led to inconsistent results. However, the approach assumes that there are clear criteria to designate individuals as monolingual or bilingual, and more fundamentally, to determine whether a communication system counts as a unique language. Both of these assumptions may not be correct. The problem is particularly acute when participants are asked to classify themselves or simply report how many languages they speak. Participants' responses to these questions are shaped by their personal perceptions of the criteria for making these judgments. This study investigated the perceptions underlying judgments of bilingualism by asking 528 participants to judge the extent to which a description of a fictional linguistic system constitutes a unique language and the extent to which a description of a fictional individual's linguistic competence qualifies that person as bilingual. The results show a range of responses for both concepts, indicating substantial ambiguity for these terms. Moreover, participants were asked to self-classify as monolingual or bilingual, and these decisions were not related to more objective information regarding the degree of bilingual experience obtained from a detailed questionnaire. These results are consistent with the notion that bilingualism is not categorical and that specific language experiences are important in determining the criteria for being bilingual. The results impact interpretations of research investigating group differences on the cognitive effects of bilingualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danika Wagner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G. Grundy
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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27
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Is Early Bilingual Experience Associated with Greater Fluid Intelligence in Adults? LANGUAGES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/languages7020100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that early bilingual experience constrains the development of attentional processes in infants, and that some of these early bilingual adaptations could last into adulthood. However, it is not known whether the early adaptations in the attentional domain alter more general cognitive abilities. If they do, then we would expect that bilingual adults who learned their second language early in life would score more highly across cognitive tasks than bilingual adults who learned their second language later in life. To test this hypothesis, 170 adult participants were administered a well-established (non-verbal) measure of fluid intelligence: Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM). Fluid intelligence (the ability to solve novel reasoning problems, independent of acquired knowledge) is highly correlated with numerous cognitive abilities across development. Performance on the RAPM was greater in bilinguals than monolinguals, and greater in ‘early bilinguals’ (adults who learned their second language between 0–6 years) than ‘late bilinguals’ (adults who learned their second language after age 6 years). The groups did not significantly differ on a proxy of socioeconomic status. These results suggest that the difference in fluid intelligence between bilinguals and monolinguals is not a consequence of bilingualism per se, but of early adaptive processes. However, the finding may depend on how bilingualism is operationalized, and thus needs to be replicated with a larger sample and more detailed measures.
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How does bilingualism modify cognitive function? Attention to the mechanism. Psychon Bull Rev 2022; 29:1246-1269. [PMID: 35091993 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02057-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
It has been claimed that bilingual experience leads to an enhancement of cognitive control across the lifespan, a claim that has been investigated by comparing monolingual and bilingual groups performing standard executive function (EF) tasks. The results of these studies have been inconsistent, however, leading to controversy over the essential assumptions underlying the research program, namely, whether bilingualism produces cognitive change. We argue that the source of the inconsistency is not in the evidence but rather in the framework that has typically been used to motivate the research and interpret the results. We examine the componential view of EF with its central role for inhibition and argue that it provides a poor fit to both bilingual experience and the results of these studies. As an alternative, we propose a more holistic account based on attentional control that overrides the processes in the componential model of EF and applies to a wider range of tasks. The key element in our account is that behavioral differences between monolingual and bilingual individuals reflect differences in the efficiency and deployment of attentional control between the two language groups. In support of this point we show how attentional control provides a more satisfactory account for a range of findings that cannot reasonably be attributed to inhibition. We also suggest that group differences will emerge only when the attentional demands of a task exceed the control abilities of one of the groups, regardless of the EF components involved. We then review literature from across the lifespan to evaluate the extent to which this account is consistent with existing evidence, and conclude with some suggestions on how the field may be advanced by new lines of empirical enquiry.
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Privitera AJ, Momenian M, Weekes B. Task-specific bilingual effects in Mandarin-English speaking high school students in China. CURRENT RESEARCH IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2022.100066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Romero C, Uddin LQ. Bilingualism, Executive Function, and the Brain: Implications for Autism. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:513-531. [PMID: 37214624 PMCID: PMC10158561 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with marked heterogeneity with respect to the development of executive function abilities. The bilingual advantage refers to the observation that individuals who speak two languages perform better on executive function tasks than monolinguals under some circumstances. There is not yet consensus, however, as to whether this advantage can be reliably demonstrated, nor is there consensus regarding under which conditions it emerges. Bilingual and monolingual children with ASD have comparable developmental outcomes, particularly in the areas of core ASD symptoms, cognitive function, and language. Still, despite the potential advantages that bilingualism may confer, clinicians commonly advise against providing a bilingual environment for children with ASD. The purpose of the present review is to provide an up-to-date assessment of the limited literature on bilingualism in children with ASD in order to inform evidence-based practice. Studies suggest a potential bilingual advantage in ASD in the areas of nonverbal intelligence quotient, adaptive functioning, and expressive vocabulary. A limited yet growing literature provides preliminary evidence for enhanced executive function ability in some children with ASD. Taken together, current evidence suggests that although a bilingual advantage may not be universally present in typical development, it may manifest under specific circumstances, conferring advantage for populations in which executive function is compromised. Further work is needed to develop consistent, evidence-based guidelines around language recommendations for families of children with ASD and to better understand the cognitive and brain mechanisms giving rise to the bilingual advantage in clinical developmental populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Romero
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Lucina Q. Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Bialystok E. Bilingualism as a Slice of Swiss Cheese. Front Psychol 2021; 12:769323. [PMID: 34819899 PMCID: PMC8606518 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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de Bruin A, Dick AS, Carreiras M. Clear Theories Are Needed to Interpret Differences: Perspectives on the Bilingual Advantage Debate. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:433-451. [PMID: 37214628 PMCID: PMC10158573 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The heated debate regarding bilingual cognitive advantages remains ongoing. While there are many studies supporting positive cognitive effects of bilingualism, recent meta-analyses have concluded that there is no consistent evidence for a bilingual advantage. In this article we focus on several theoretical concerns. First, we discuss changes in theoretical frameworks, which have led to the development of insufficiently clear theories and hypotheses that are difficult to falsify. Next, we discuss the development of looking at bilingual experiences and the need to better understand language control. Last, we argue that the move from behavioural studies to a focus on brain plasticity is not going to solve the debate on cognitive effects, especially not when brain changes are interpreted in the absence of behavioural differences. Clearer theories on both behavioural and neural effects of bilingualism are needed. However, to achieve this, a solid understanding of both bilingualism and executive functions is needed first.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela de Bruin
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Anthony Steven Dick
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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Gullifer JW, Titone D. Bilingualism: A Neurocognitive Exercise in Managing Uncertainty. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:464-486. [PMID: 37214626 PMCID: PMC10158557 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Bilinguals have distinct linguistic experiences relative to monolinguals, stemming from interactions with the environment and the individuals therein. Theories of language control hypothesize that these experiences play a role in adapting the neurocognitive systems responsible for control. Here we posit a potential mechanism for these adaptations, namely that bilinguals face additional language-related uncertainties on top of other ambiguities that regularly occur in language, such as lexical and syntactic competition. When faced with uncertainty in the environment, people adapt internal representations to lessen these uncertainties, which can aid in executive control and decision-making. We overview a cognitive framework on uncertainty, which we extend to language and bilingualism. We then review two "case studies," assessing language-related uncertainty for bilingual contexts using language entropy and network scientific approaches. Overall, we find that there is substantial individual variability in the extent to which people experience language-related uncertainties in their environments, but also regularity across some contexts. This information, in turn, predicts cognitive adaptations associated with language fluency and engagement in proactive cognitive control strategies. These findings suggest that bilinguals adapt to the cumulative language-related uncertainties in the environment. We conclude by suggesting avenues for future research and links with other research domains. Ultimately, a focus on uncertainty will help bridge traditionally separate scientific domains, such as language processing, bilingualism, and decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W. Gullifer
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, Montréal, Canada
| | - Debra Titone
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, Montréal, Canada
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Chung-Fat-Yim A, Poarch GJ, Comishen KJ, Bialystok E. Does language context impact the neural correlates of executive control in monolingual and multilingual young adults? BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 222:105011. [PMID: 34455164 PMCID: PMC8579775 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Some previous studies have shown that creating a language context in which words from both languages are interspersed into a flanker task improves executive control performance for bilinguals, but these studies have produced inconsistent results. The studies have used different versions of the task and not included monolinguals, limiting generalization. Here, English-Chinese multilinguals and English monolinguals performed a flanker task while EEG was recorded. There were three language context blocks - English, Chinese, or both - and participants were instructed to ignore the interspersed words. Multilinguals displayed faster flanker RTs and earlier P2 and N2 waveforms than monolinguals. There was also a significant correlation between the P2/N2 latency and reaction times, connecting these waveforms to behavior. Finally, P2 amplitude differed between groups in the mixed context, and language context impacted P3 amplitude for monolinguals but not multilinguals. These results are interpreted in terms of language context effects on monolingual executive function processing and possible difference in bilingual experience between current participants and those in previous studies.
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35
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Calvo N, Bialystok E. Electrophysiological signatures of attentional control in bilingual processing: Evidence from proactive interference. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 222:105027. [PMID: 34560557 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Monolingual and bilingual participants performed a Proactive Interference task in verbal and nonverbal conditions while EEG was recorded. Behavioral results showed faster responses for bilinguals on interference trials in the nonverbal condition, and electrophysiological results indicated greater attentional control for bilinguals. ROI analyses showed this pattern for bilinguals mainly in the verbal condition, whereas whole brain analyses found this association in both conditions. Frequency power analysis found activity related to interference trials was associated with recruitment of different neural resources for verbal and nonverbal conditions. Nonverbal results indicated beta activity for interference trials in bilinguals and the verbal condition showed this pattern in theta and gamma frequency bands as well, revealing more extensive brain activation in the verbal domain for bilinguals. For monolinguals, frequency power in beta, gamma, and theta were related to facilitation trials. These results suggest different strategies for allocating attention by monolingual and bilingual young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, York University, Canada
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36
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Navarro-Torres CA, Beatty-Martínez AL, Kroll JF, Green DW. Research on bilingualism as discovery science. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 222:105014. [PMID: 34530360 PMCID: PMC8978084 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An important aim of research on bilingualism is to understand how the brain adapts to the demands of using more than one language.In this paper, we argue that pursuing such an aim entails valuing our research as a discovery process that acts on variety.Prescriptions about sample size and methodology, rightly aimed at establishing a sound basis for generalization, should be understood as being in the service of science as a discovery process. We propose and illustrate by drawing from previous and contemporary examples within brain and cognitive sciences, that this necessitates exploring the neural bases of bilingual phenotypes:the adaptive variety induced through the interplay of biology and culture. We identify the conceptual and methodological prerequisites for such exploration and briefly allude to the publication practices that afford it as a community practice and to the risk of allowing methodological prescriptions, rather than discovery, to dominate the research endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Judith F Kroll
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, United States
| | - David W Green
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
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37
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Anderson JAE, Grundy JG, Grady CL, Craik FIM, Bialystok E. Bilingualism contributes to reserve and working memory efficiency: Evidence from structural and functional neuroimaging. Neuropsychologia 2021; 163:108071. [PMID: 34715120 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
This study compared brain and behavioral outcomes for monolingual and bilingual older adults who reported no cognitive or memory problems on three types of memory that typically decline in older age, namely, working memory (measured by n-back), item, and associative recognition. The results showed that bilinguals were faster on the two-back working memory task than monolinguals but used a set of frontostriatal regions less than monolinguals. There was no group difference on an item/associative recognition task. In brain structure, gray matter volume and white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy) were generally lower in bilinguals than in monolinguals, but bilinguals had better white matter integrity than monolinguals in the bilateral superior corona radiata and better gray matter density in the left inferior temporal gyrus. These regions may help preserve bilinguals' executive functions despite generally more significant atrophy throughout the brain than monolinguals in that these structures contribute to efficient communication between executive frontal regions and subcortical motor regions, and perceptual pathways. Reliable negative correlations between brain structure and age were only observed in bilinguals, and to the extent that bilinguals (but not monolinguals) had better brain structure, their performance was enhanced. Collectively, the findings provide evidence for reserve in bilingual older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A E Anderson
- Carleton University, Departments of Cognitive Science and Psychology, Canada.
| | - John G Grundy
- Iowa State University, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Cheryl L Grady
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Hospital, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Psychology, Canada
| | - Fergus I M Craik
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Hospital, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Psychology, Canada
| | - Ellen Bialystok
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Hospital, Canada; York University, Department of Psychology, Canada
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Gasquoine PG, Weimer AA, Estevis E, Perez E. Survey of Spanish Language Neuropsychological Test Use in the Assessment of Hispanic Americans/Latino/as/x. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2021; 36:1350-1360. [PMID: 33522567 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acaa131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the Spanish language neuropsychological tests most frequently used in the evaluation of Hispanic Americans/Latino/as/x across eight neuropsychological domains. To compare these with previously surveyed most frequently used English language tests in the US/Canada. To describe the norms used with Spanish language tests. METHOD An anonymous, uncompensated, 12-min survey was emailed to 169 members of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, Hispanic Neuropsychological Society, and National Academy of Neuropsychology who self-identified as providing neuropsychological evaluations in Spanish via organizational websites. RESULTS The response rate was 36%. Respondents were all licensed U.S. psychologists with the majority fluent in Spanish, conducting less than half their evaluations in Spanish. There was an overlap between the versions of the three most frequently used Spanish versus English neuropsychological tests, but it varied by domain with 3/3 similar for visual-spatial/visuoconstructional skills and sensory/motor functioning domains and 2/3 similar for all other domains except memory (0/3). English language norm use predominated within the mood/personality and sensory/motor functioning domains. In all other domains, Spanish language norms collected in the continental US were preferred to those from foreign Spanish-speaking countries. The most frequently used foreign norms were from Mexico. CONCLUSION Except for the memory domain, there was a sizeable overlap between the three most frequently used Spanish and English language neuropsychological tests in the US. Spanish language tests are primarily interpreted with Spanish norms collected in the continental US except within the mood/personality and sensory/motor functioning domains where English language norms predominate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Gerard Gasquoine
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA
| | - Amy A Weimer
- School of Family & Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | | | - Eros Perez
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA
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Ebert KD. Revisiting the Influences of Bilingualism and Developmental Language Disorder on Children's Nonverbal Processing Speed. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:3564-3570. [PMID: 34383594 PMCID: PMC8642100 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study examined the influences of bilingualism and developmental language disorder (DLD) on nonverbal processing speed. DLD is associated with slower processing speed, but the extent to which slowing extends to bilingual populations is not established. The possible presence of bilingual cognitive effects could also lead to faster processing speed among bilingual children. Method Participants included 108 children of ages 6-8 years, including 56 Spanish-English bilinguals (29 with DLD and 27 with typical development) and 52 English-only monolinguals (25 with DLD and 27 with typical development). Language testing (in both languages for bilingual children) was combined with parent and school report to classify children as having DLD or typical language development. Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were excluded from the sample. Reaction time from a choice visual detection task was used to index nonverbal processing speed. Results Children with DLD demonstrated slower processing speed than their typically developing peers, whereas bilingual children demonstrated faster processing speed than monolinguals. The effects of DLD and bilingualism did not interact. Conclusions This study replicates prior findings of slowed processing speed among children with DLD in both monolingual and bilingual children. Evidence of faster processing speed among bilingual children contributes to the complex literature surrounding the circumstances of bilingual cognitive effects. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15138747.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry Danahy Ebert
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis
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Williams L, Parthasarathy P, Molnar M. Measures of Bilingual Cognition - From Infancy to Adolescence. J Cogn 2021; 4:45. [PMID: 34514316 PMCID: PMC8396129 DOI: 10.5334/joc.184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An extensive literature exists regarding the effect of bilingualism on cognition in developing populations. However, the term 'cognition' is vague and applies to a large number of different abilities. We reviewed 60 publications examining cognition in simultaneous bilingual children to understand what aspects of cognition have been studied in this population and what tasks have been used, in addition to qualitatively assessing the results of bilingual/monolingual comparisons. Executive function was the most frequently assessed cognitive ability across all age groups, paralleling the adult bilingual literature, with memory flexibility and theory of mind also emerging as common targets within infant and preschool age groups. Results are discussed in light of developmental trajectories and assessment methodologies currently available for the cognitive abilities represented in this literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Williams
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, CA
| | | | - Monika Molnar
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, CA
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, CA
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Fishman KN, Roberts AC, Orange JB, Sunderland KM, Marras C, Tan B, Steeves T, Kwan D, Lang AE, Grimes D, Levine B, Masellis M, Binns MA, Jog M, Strother SC, Investigators O, McLaughlin PM, Troyer AK. Bilingualism in Parkinson's disease: Relationship to cognition and quality of life. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2021; 43:199-212. [PMID: 33827353 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2021.1902946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Some studies have found that bilingualism promotes cognitive reserve. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine whether bilingualism, defined as regularly (i.e. daily) using at least two languages at least since early adulthood, is associated with cognitive advantages in Parkinson's disease (PD) or whether the possible benefits of bilingualism are lost in the context of PD, possibly affecting quality of life (QoL) and independence. METHOD Participants with idiopathic PD (n = 140, mean age = 67.9 [SD = 6.4], 78% men) completed standard neuropsychological tasks evaluating attention/working memory, language, executive function, memory, and visuospatial ability, as well as measures of wellbeing and functional independence. RESULTS Bilinguals with PD (n = 21) performed worse than monolinguals with PD (n = 92) on attention/working memory and language measures. The between-group differences in attention/working memory were restricted to verbally-based measures. When measured along a continuum, a higher degree of bilingualism was correlated with lower scores on measures of attention/working memory and language. There were no group differences in self- or informant-reported cognitive decline, PD health-related QoL, or functional independence. CONCLUSIONS Bilingualism in PD was not associated with better cognitive performance. Lower scores on language-based measures may reflect a distributed fund of linguistic information across more than one language, lower language proficiency in English, and/or other cultural artifacts. Furthermore, using normative data specific to the dominant language spoken or conducting neuropsychological testing in participants' self-reported most proficient language may enhance additional studies addressing this topic. Future research may also examine the roles of bilingualism over time and across other neurodegenerative diseases with and without EF impairment to illuminate further the impact of bilingualism on cognition and QoL, and shape culturally and linguistically diverse research and clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keera N Fishman
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.,, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - J B Orange
- , Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Connie Marras
- , University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Tan
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Donna Kwan
- Queen's University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony E Lang
- , University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Grimes
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Levine
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mario Masellis
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Malcolm A Binns
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mandar Jog
- , Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen C Strother
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Paula M McLaughlin
- Queen's University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Angela K Troyer
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Navarro E, Conway AR. Adult bilinguals outperform monolinguals in theory of mind. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2021; 74:1841-1851. [PMID: 33764208 DOI: 10.1177/17470218211009159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is an essential ability for social competence and communication, and it is necessary for understanding behaviours that differ from our own. Research on bilingual children has reported that 3- and 4-year-old bilinguals outperform monolinguals in ToM tasks. Research suggests that adult bilinguals also might outperform monolinguals; nevertheless, this effect has yet to be established. Here, we tested bilingual and monolingual adults on the director task. Results showed that bilingual adults outperformed monolinguals in response to perspective-dependent trials of the director task, but not in response to control trials. This suggests that bilingualism is associated with individuals' ability to take into account the perspective of another person. In addition, the number of cultures that participants were exposed to, regardless of whether the participant was bilingual or not, was also associated with ToM performance. Overall, the findings suggest that linguistic and cultural experience have an impact on ToM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Navarro
- Department of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Ra Conway
- Department of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA
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43
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Bilingualism: Pathway to Cognitive Reserve. Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:355-364. [PMID: 33771449 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive reserve is characterized by a dissociation between cognitive level and brain structure, thereby reducing the impact of deteriorating brain structure on cognitive function. Cognitive reserve is therefore a promising approach to maintaining cognitive function and protecting against symptoms of dementia. The present paper evaluates evidence supporting the claim that bilingualism contributes to cognitive reserve. Four types of evidence are presented: (i) brain and cognitive function in healthy aging, (ii) age of onset of symptoms of dementia, (iii) relation between clinical level and neuropathology for patients, and (iv) rate of cognitive decline in later stages of dementia. In all cases, bilinguals revealed patterns that were consistent with the interpretation of protection from cognitive reserve when compared with monolinguals.
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Bialystok E, Shorbagi SH. Subtle Increments in Socioeconomic Status and Bilingualism Jointly Affect Children’s Verbal and Nonverbal Performance. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2021.1901711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Gullifer JW, Titone D. Engaging proactive control: Influences of diverse language experiences using insights from machine learning. J Exp Psychol Gen 2021; 150:414-430. [PMID: 33001688 PMCID: PMC7954783 DOI: 10.1037/xge0000933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We used insights from machine learning to address an important but contentious question: Is bilingual language experience associated with executive control abilities? Specifically, we assess proactive executive control for over 400 young adult bilinguals via reaction time (RT) on an AX continuous performance task (AX-CPT). We measured bilingual experience as a continuous, multidimensional spectrum (i.e., age of acquisition, language entropy, and sheer second language exposure). Linear mixed effects regression analyses indicated significant associations between bilingual language experience and proactive control, consistent with previous work. Information criteria (e.g., AIC) and cross-validation further suggested that these models are robust in predicting data from novel, unmodeled participants. These results were bolstered by cross-validated LASSO regression, a form of penalized regression. However, the results of both cross-validation procedures also indicated that similar predictive performance could be achieved through simpler models that only included information about the AX-CPT (i.e., trial type). Collectively, these results suggest that the effects of bilingual experience on proactive control, to the extent that they exist in younger adults, are likely small. Thus, future studies will require even larger or qualitatively different samples (e.g., older adults or children) in combination with valid, granular quantifications of language experience to reveal predictive effects on novel participants. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Gullifer
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music
| | - Debra Titone
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music
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D'Souza D, Brady D, Haensel JX, D'Souza H. Early bilingual experience is associated with change detection ability in adults. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2068. [PMID: 33483591 PMCID: PMC7822897 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81545-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
To adapt to their more varied and unpredictable (language) environments, infants from bilingual homes may gather more information (sample more of their environment) by shifting their visual attention more frequently. However, it is not known whether this early adaptation is age-specific or lasts into adulthood. If the latter, we would expect to observe it in adults who acquired their second language early, not late, in life. Here we show that early bilingual adults are faster at disengaging attention to shift attention, and at noticing changes between visual stimuli, than late bilingual adults. In one experiment, participants were presented with the same two visual stimuli; one changed (almost imperceptibly), the other remained the same. Initially, participants looked at both stimuli equally; eventually, they fixated more on the changing stimulus. This shift in looking occurred in the early but not late bilinguals. It suggests that cognitive processes adapt to early bilingual experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean D'Souza
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Daniel Brady
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Jennifer X Haensel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Hana D'Souza
- Department of Psychology & Newnham College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Backer KC, Bortfeld H. Characterizing Bilingual Effects on Cognition: The Search for Meaningful Individual Differences. Brain Sci 2021; 11:81. [PMID: 33435472 PMCID: PMC7827854 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A debate over the past decade has focused on the so-called bilingual advantage-the idea that bilingual and multilingual individuals have enhanced domain-general executive functions, relative to monolinguals, due to competition-induced monitoring of both processing and representation from the task-irrelevant language(s). In this commentary, we consider a recent study by Pot, Keijzer, and de Bot (2018), which focused on the relationship between individual differences in language usage and performance on an executive function task among multilingual older adults. We discuss their approach and findings in light of a more general movement towards embracing complexity in this domain of research, including individuals' sociocultural context and position in the lifespan. The field increasingly considers interactions between bilingualism/multilingualism and cognition, employing measures of language use well beyond the early dichotomous perspectives on language background. Moreover, new measures of bilingualism and analytical approaches are helping researchers interrogate the complexities of specific processing issues. Indeed, our review of the bilingualism/multilingualism literature confirms the increased appreciation researchers have for the range of factors-beyond whether someone speaks one, two, or more languages-that impact specific cognitive processes. Here, we highlight some of the most salient of these, and incorporate suggestions for a way forward that likewise encompasses neural perspectives on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina C. Backer
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Heather Bortfeld
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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Rieker JA, Reales JM, Ballesteros S. The Effect of Bilingualism on Cue-Based vs. Memory-Based Task Switching in Older Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:610548. [PMID: 33390921 PMCID: PMC7775305 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.610548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Findings suggest a positive impact of bilingualism on cognition, including the later onset of dementia. However, it is not clear to what extent these effects are influenced by variations in attentional control demands in response to specific task requirements. In this study, 20 bilingual and 20 monolingual older adults performed a task-switching task under explicit task-cuing vs. memory-based switching conditions. In the cued condition, task switches occurred in random order and a visual cue signaled the next task to be performed. In the memory-based condition, the task alternated after every second trial in a predictable sequence without presenting a cue. The performance of bilinguals did not vary across experimental conditions, whereas monolinguals experienced a pronounced increase in response latencies and error rates in the cued condition. Both groups produced similar switch costs (difference in performance on switch trials as opposed to repeating trials within the mixed-task block) and mixing costs (difference in performance on repeat trials of a mixed-task block as opposed to trials of a single-task block), but bilinguals produced them with lower response latencies. The cognitive benefits of bilingualism seem not to apply to executive functions per se but to affect specific cognitive processes that involve task-relevant context processing. The present results suggest that lifelong bilingualism could promote in older adults a flexible adjustment to environmental cues, but only with increased task demands. However, due to the small sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Rieker
- Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Basic Psychology II, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Reales
- Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Madrid, Spain.,Department Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Soledad Ballesteros
- Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Basic Psychology II, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional, Madrid, Spain
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Jouravlev O, Mineroff Z, Blank IA, Fedorenko E. The Small and Efficient Language Network of Polyglots and Hyper-polyglots. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:62-76. [PMID: 32820332 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquiring a foreign language is challenging for many adults. Yet certain individuals choose to acquire sometimes dozens of languages and often just for fun. Is there something special about the minds and brains of such polyglots? Using robust individual-level markers of language activity, measured with fMRI, we compared native language processing in polyglots versus matched controls. Polyglots (n = 17, including nine "hyper-polyglots" with proficiency in 10-55 languages) used fewer neural resources to process language: Their activations were smaller in both magnitude and extent. This difference was spatially and functionally selective: The groups were similar in their activation of two other brain networks-the multiple demand network and the default mode network. We hypothesize that the activation reduction in the language network is experientially driven, such that the acquisition and use of multiple languages makes language processing generally more efficient. However, genetic and longitudinal studies will be critical to distinguish this hypothesis from the one whereby polyglots' brains already differ at birth or early in development. This initial characterization of polyglots' language network opens the door to future investigations of the cognitive and neural architecture of individuals who gain mastery of multiple languages, including changes in this architecture with linguistic experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olessia Jouravlev
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6, Canada
| | - Zachary Mineroff
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Idan A Blank
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Evelina Fedorenko
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Increases in attentional demands are associated with language group differences in working memory performance. Brain Cogn 2020; 147:105658. [PMID: 33341655 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2020.105658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
One approach to resolving the controversy over whether bilingualism affects executive function (EF) performance has been to identify the specific tasks and populations that might show these effects. The assumption is that the effect of bilingualism reliably occurs with some tasks and populations but not others and that identifying those conditions will settle outstanding contradictions. However, it is now clear that experiments using the same task (e.g., flanker, Simon, etc.) and apparently the same populations (monolingual or bilingual participants) still lead to different outcomes. Therefore, something in addition to these factors must determine performance. The present study tested the hypothesis that changes in demands for attentional control within a task is associated with performance differences for groups with different attentional resources, in this case, monolingual and bilingual participants. Sixty-four young adults who were classified as monolingual or bilingual based on a detailed questionnaire completed four increasingly difficult conditions of an n-back task while EEG was recorded. Behavioral results showed greater declines with increasing difficulty for monolinguals than bilinguals, and electrophysiological results revealed more effortful processing by monolinguals across all conditions. Our interpretation is that demands for attentional control by the task in conjunction with assessments of attentional resources in individuals or groups determines performance on executive function tasks. These results lead to a re-examination of how executive function is conceptualized and the role of bilingualism in performance on these tasks.
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