Recent research suggests that individuals who are proficient in two languages may possess superior attention control and the ability to filter out irrelevant information compared to their monolingual counterparts. This heightened cognitive flexibility is attributed to the constant language-switching demands placed on bilinguals, shedding light on the multifaceted advantages of acquiring a second language.
The recent study delved into the disparities between bilingual and monolingual individuals.
According to a study recently published in the journal “Bilingualism: Language and Cognition,” bilingual individuals appear to outperform monolinguals in efficiently shifting their attention between tasks. This research was conducted by Grace deMeurisse, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, and Edith Kaan, a professor in the linguistics department. Their primary focus was to investigate how bilingualism influences an individual’s capacity to manage attention and filter out extraneous information.
Efficiency in Disregarding Irrelevant Information
DeMeurisse explained, “Our findings suggest that bilinguals exhibit greater efficiency in ignoring irrelevant information, rather than actively suppressing or inhibiting it. One plausible explanation is that bilinguals continually switch between two languages, necessitating a constant redirection of their attention away from the inactive language.”
For instance, during a conversation between an English and Spanish speaker conducted in Spanish, both languages remain active, yet English remains on standby for immediate deployment.
Various studies have explored distinctions between these two groups in terms of broader cognitive mechanisms, encompassing mental processes such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making, according to DeMeurisse.
“The impact of bilingualism on an individual’s cognitive control has been a subject of ongoing debate,” she noted. “Some literature suggests that these distinctions are not particularly pronounced, which could be attributed to the specific linguistic tasks employed in researching differences between bilinguals and monolinguals.”
To investigate whether discrepancies between the two groups would emerge, DeMeurisse and Kaan employed a novel task, the Partial Repetition Cost task, which had not been previously applied in psycholinguistic studies. This task aimed to gauge participants’ ability to process incoming information and exercise control over their attention.
Kaan remarked, “Our findings indicate that bilinguals demonstrate a greater aptitude for disregarding irrelevant information.”
Study Participants and Methodology
The two groups of participants were divided into functional monolinguals and bilinguals. Functional monolinguals were individuals with two years or less of foreign language exposure in a classroom setting, who exclusively utilized their first language acquired during childhood.
Bilinguals, on the other hand, were defined as individuals who had acquired proficiency in both their first and second languages between the ages of 9 and 12 and continued to use both languages in their daily lives.
Kaan emphasized that an individual’s cognitive traits remain adaptable and responsive to external factors. As humans, few traits remain fixed throughout our lifetimes.
“Our cognition continually adapts to the circumstances, and in the case of bilingualism, it adapts to this specific linguistic context,” she elaborated. “This does not imply that it cannot change; for example, if one ceases to use their second language, their cognition may undergo alterations as well.”
Implications for Bilingualism Research
The University of Florida study underscores the necessity of achieving greater consistency across the diverse experiments conducted to comprehend the disparities between monolingual and multilingual individuals.
“In the realm of bilingualism and cognition, we are redefining our approach to discussing distinctions between bilinguals and monolinguals, actively exploring additional factors and methodologies for conducting this research,” DeMeurisse asserted.
The researchers were careful to clarify that their study did not seek to establish whether multilingual individuals possess an advantage over their monolingual counterparts.
“We are not seeking to ascertain advantages or disadvantages,” DeMeurisse emphasized. “Nevertheless, irrespective of cognitive disparities, acquiring a second language will invariably prove beneficial, whether those benefits pertain to cognition, social interactions, or the environment. Exposure to a second language is a positive experience.”
Reference: “Bilingual attentional control: Evidence from the Partial Repetition Cost paradigm” by Grace deMeurisse and Edith Kaan, published on October 20, 2023, in Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. DOI: 10.1017/S1366728923000731.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Bilingual Cognitive Control
Q: What were the main findings of the study on bilingualism and attention control?
A: The study revealed that bilingual individuals exhibit enhanced attention control, excelling at ignoring irrelevant information compared to monolinguals. This heightened cognitive flexibility is attributed to the constant language-switching demands placed on bilinguals.
Q: Who conducted the research on bilingual attention control, and where was it published?
A: The research was conducted by Grace deMeurisse, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, and Edith Kaan, a professor in the linguistics department. It was published in the journal “Bilingualism: Language and Cognition” on October 20, 2023.
Q: How were the study participants categorized, and what criteria were used?
A: The participants were categorized into two groups: functional monolinguals and bilinguals. Functional monolinguals had two years or less of foreign language experience and used only their first language. Bilinguals had learned both their first and second languages between the ages of 9 to 12 and still used both languages in their daily lives.
Q: What is the significance of the Partial Repetition Cost task mentioned in the study?
A: The Partial Repetition Cost task was used to measure participants’ abilities to process incoming information and control their attention. It was a novel task in psycholinguistics and helped reveal that bilinguals are better at ignoring irrelevant information.
Q: Does the study claim that bilinguals have a cognitive advantage over monolinguals?
A: No, the study does not make claims about advantages or disadvantages. It emphasizes that regardless of cognitive differences, learning a second language is always beneficial, offering cognitive, social, and environmental advantages.
More about Bilingual Cognitive Control
- Bilingualism: Language and Cognition (Journal where the study was published)
- DOI: 10.1017/S1366728923000731 (DOI link to the study)
2 comments
cool study found bilinguals good @ attention control & ignoring stuff, but doesn’t say they r better than 1-language peeps. Learning 2nd lang always good tho!
Journos nailed it again! Imp details on how bilingualism affect attention. Bilinguals got an edge maybe?