Individual Variation and the Bilingual Advantage—Factors that Modulate the Effect of Bilingualism on Cognitive Control and Cognitive Reserve

Noort, Maurits van den; Struys, Esli; Bosch, Peggy

doi:10.3390/bs9120120

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 55 publications

(94 reference statements)

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“…A more comprehensive overview of the literature on this topic has been provided in recent systematic reviews (e.g., Antoniou, 2019;Bialystok, 2017;Van den Noort, Struys, & Bosch, 2019) and meta-analyses (e.g., Donnelly et al, 2019;Grundy, 2020;Gunnerud et al, 2020;Lehtonen et al, 2018;Paap, 2019). While there is both evidence for and against a bilingual cognitive advantage, recent meta-analyses taking into account publication bias (e.g., Lehtonen et al, 2018) conclude that there is no strong or consistent evidence for enhanced executive functioning in bilinguals.…”

Section: Behavioural Comparisons Between Bilinguals and Monolingualsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clear Theories Are Needed to Interpret Differences: Perspectives on the Bilingual Advantage Debate

Bruin

Dick

Carreiras

2021

Neurobiology of Language

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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 n 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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Section: Behavioural Comparisons Between Bilinguals and Monolingualsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clear Theories Are Needed to Interpret Differences: Perspectives on the Bilingual Advantage Debate

Bruin

Dick

Carreiras

2021

Neurobiology of Language

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“…In today's society, more and more people are learning more than one language, and language can influence thinking [1,2]. Whether language learning affects cognition" has also become a hot topic of discussion nowadays [3][4][5]. The majority of the more thorough research confirms the enabling impact of multilingual experience on cognitive regulation [6], despite questions being raised about this conclusion [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Bilingualism on Children's Creative Thinking of Cognitive Functioning: Evidence from Chinese Native Speaker

Tian,

Lan,

et al. 2024

LNEP

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This essay investigates the impact of bilingualism, specifically learning English as a second language, on the creative thinking of Chinese-speaking children. Bilingualism's influence on cognitive functioning, particularly creative thinking, has been widely debated, with studies showing varying results. The study includes Chinese monolinguals and Chinese-English bilinguals from different age groups, with the aim of exploring potential differences in creative thinking between the two groups. To assess creative thinking, a battery of standardized creativity tests adapted to the Chinese language and culture is used, including linguistic, figural, and ideational tasks. The results are analyzed using a mixed-method approach, considering the effects of bilingualism, age-related changes, and task-specific differences. Expected outcomes may include identifying a bilingual advantage in certain aspects of creative thinking, age-related variations in creative thinking skills, and task-specific disparities. This research provides insights into the complex relationship between bilingualism, cognitive functioning, and creative thinking, particularly within the context of Chinese-speaking children. The findings have implications for educational practices, curriculum development, and language learning strategies, highlighting the importance of considering language and culture when studying the impact of bilingualism on cognitive functioning and creative thinking. This study emphasizes the significance of investigating the effects of specific language pairs on cognition and creative thinking, shedding light on the potential advantages and challenges associated with bilingualism.

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“…Padilla et al, 2016; Warmington, Kandru-Pothineni, & Hitch, 2019) on bilingual advantage. Yet there were many individual variations that might affect the bilingual advantages for cognition; for instance, their education, immigration status and social economic status (van den Noort, Struys, & Bosch, 2019). The differences between the two language groups might affect the interpretation of the comparison.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

L2 proficiency predicts inhibitory ability in L1-dominant speakers

Hui

Yuan

Fong

et al. 2020

International Journal of Bilingualism

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Aims and Objectives: Bilinguals reportedly perform better in tasks that require the suppression of interference because of the constant practice in linguistic inhibition. However, previous literature was largely based on comparisons of pure monolinguals and balanced bilinguals. Those in between the two extremes were rarely examined. This project aimed at studying whether the population who primarily speak in a first language with a different level of second language proficiency also enjoy bilingual advantage. Methodology: Twelve monolingual and 38 bilingual Hong Kong older adults were recruited to perform the Stroop task and the second language (English) proficiency tests. The subjects were all frequent first language (Cantonese) speakers with various levels of second language proficiency. Data and Analysis: Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to identify the relationship between inhibition ability (Stroop score) and demographic and language background variables (including proficiency in and frequency of exposure to their second language). Findings: Both correlation and multiple regression analysis showed that the subjects with higher proficiency in a second language performed significantly better in the Stroop task. The results suggested that higher second language proficiency leads to higher difficulty in suppressing it, thus the training of inhibition is more effective. Originality: This study expanded the literature on bilingual advantage from a dichotomous comparison between monolingual and bilingual to the more continuous spectrum of bilinguals with different levels of second language proficiency. This study aimed at showing a fuller picture of bilingualism in the world. Significance/Implications: This study proposed that with high proficiency in a second language, frequent first language speakers could also enjoy cognitive advantages brought by bilingualism. Our study provides further evidence for the bilingual advantage hypothesis.

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Individual Variation and the Bilingual Advantage—Factors that Modulate the Effect of Bilingualism on Cognitive Control and Cognitive Reserve

Abstract: This editorial is an introduction to the special issue ‘Individual variation and the bilingual advantage—factors that modulate the effect of bilingualism on cognitive control’ [...]

Cited by 6 publications

References 55 publications

Clear Theories Are Needed to Interpret Differences: Perspectives on the Bilingual Advantage Debate

Clear Theories Are Needed to Interpret Differences: Perspectives on the Bilingual Advantage Debate

The Effect of Bilingualism on Children's Creative Thinking of Cognitive Functioning: Evidence from Chinese Native Speaker

L2 proficiency predicts inhibitory ability in L1-dominant speakers

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