Bilingualism Affords No General Cognitive Advantages: A Population Study of Executive Function in 11,000 People

Nichols, Emily S.; Wild, Conor; Stojanoski, Bobby; Battista, Michael E; Owen, Adrian M.

doi:10.1177/0956797620903113

Cited by 107 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Recently, psychologists have questioned whether bilingualism has any effect on higher-level cognition, positive or negative [7][8][9]. In this paper we present a novel behavioral experiment analyzed using Bayesian hypothesis testing and find support for no relation between bilingualism and creativity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Finally, it is worth noting that there is growing skepticism in the bilingual literature about the existence of bilingual advantages [7][8][9]. For example, Paap, Johnson, and Sawi (2015) concluded that the proposed bilingual advantages for executive function do not exist, and that studies that demonstrate these advantages fail to match participants on demographics, have small sample sizes, or have low reproducibility [7].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, there is no consensus as to the mechanism responsible for individual differences in creativity. The unresolved mechanism for the bilingual advantage in creativity, combined with skepticism about the existence of bilingual advantages in general (e.g., [7][8][9]), prompted us to test both whether bilinguals are more creative than monolinguals or not and if so, whether the mechanism responsible for the advantage is related to how facts and knowledge are stored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence against a relation between bilingualism and creativity

et al. 2020

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Are bilinguals more creative than monolinguals? Some prior research suggests bilinguals are more creative because the knowledge representations for their second language are similarly structured to those of highly creative people. However, there is contrasting research showing that the knowledge representations of bilinguals' second language are actually structured like those of less creative people. Finally, there is growing skepticism about there being differences between bilinguals and monolinguals on non-language tasks (e.g., the bilingual advantage for executive control). We tested whether bilinguals tested in their second language are more or less creative than both monolinguals and bilinguals tested in their first language. Participants also took a repeated semantic fluency test that we used to estimate individual semantic networks for each participant. We analyzed our results with Bayesian statistics and found support for the null hypothesis that bilingualism offers no advantage for creativity. Further, using best practices for estimating semantic networks, we found support for the hypothesis that there is no association between an individual's semantic network and their creativity. This is in contrast with published research, and suggests that some of those findings may have been the result of idiosyncrasies, outdated methods for estimating semantic networks, or statistical noise. Our results call into question reported relations between bilingualism and creativity, as well as semantic network structure as an explanatory mechanism for individual differences in creativity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence against a relation between bilingualism and creativity

et al. 2020

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“…The arguments for no bilingual effects on neurocognition are predicated on the notion that if any adaptations (or 'advantages') do stem from bilingualism, then they should be robust across all groups and types of bilinguals when compared to monolingual controls (see e.g. Nichols, Wild, Stojanoski, Battista, & Owen, 2020). However, this line of argument is flawed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding bilingual brain function and structure changes? U bet! A unified bilingual experience trajectory model

DeLuca

Segaert

Mazaheri

et al. 2020

Journal of Neurolinguistics

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A growing body of research shows that the brain adapts functionally and structurally to specific bilingual experiences. These brain adaptations seem related to modulations in cognitive processes (specifically the executive functions). However, the trajectory of these adaptations is varied and seems at least partially dependent on different aspects of language exposure and use. Here we provide a review of the existing theoretical models covering bilingualism-induced neuroplasticity. Moreover, we propose a unifying framework (Unifying the Bilingual Experience Trajectories, UBET) to more comprehensively map the relationship between the various neurocognitive adaptations and different aspects of bilingual experience trajectories, focusing on intensity and diversity of language use, language switching, relative proficiency, and duration of bilingual experience. Crucially, we also outline predictions regarding both relationships between different bilingual experience factors and relationships between the measurable neurocognitive adaptations. Our framework offers a theoretical backdrop and clear testable predictions for future largescale empirical studies on individual differences in bilingual trajectories and their effects on neurocognitive adaptations.

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“…They also emphasized the need for pre-registration of studies to ensure that negative or null-findings are published, too. Similarly, a large-scale study containing data from 11,000 participants found no conclusive evidence of bilinguals outperforming monolinguals [ 58 ]. It is important to point out, however, that individual differences in bilingual experiences were not taken into account in these larger reviews.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Language Learning as a Potential Tool against Cognitive Impairment in Late-Life Depression: Two Meta-Analyses and Suggestions for Future Research

Brouwer

Berg

Knooihuizen

et al. 2020

Behavioral Sciences

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Late-life depression (LLD) affects about an eighth of community-dwelling seniors. LLD impacts well-being, with loneliness and small social networks being typical. It has also been linked to cognitive dysfunction and an increased risk of developing dementia. Safety and efficacy of pharmacological treatments for LLD have been debated, and cognitive dysfunction often persists even after remission. Various cognitive interventions have been proposed for LLD. Among these, one has received special attention: foreign language learning could serve as a social intervention that simultaneously targets brain structures affected in LLD. Lifelong bilingualism may significantly delay the onset of cognitive impairment symptoms by boosting cognitive reserve. Even late-life foreign language learning without lifelong bilingualism can train cognitive flexibility. It is then counterintuitive that the effects of language learning on LLD have never been examined. In order to create a theoretical basis for further interdisciplinary research, this paper presents a status quo of current work through two meta-analyses investigating cognitive functioning in LLD on the one hand and in senior bilinguals or seniors following a language course on the other hand. While LLD was consistently associated with cognitive dysfunction, inconsistent results were found for bilingualism and language learners. Possible reasons for this and suggestions for future research are subsequently discussed.

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Bilingualism Affords No General Cognitive Advantages: A Population Study of Executive Function in 11,000 People

Cited by 107 publications

References 45 publications

Evidence against a relation between bilingualism and creativity

Evidence against a relation between bilingualism and creativity

Understanding bilingual brain function and structure changes? U bet! A unified bilingual experience trajectory model

Exploring Language Learning as a Potential Tool against Cognitive Impairment in Late-Life Depression: Two Meta-Analyses and Suggestions for Future Research

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