A domain-general monitoring account of language switching in recognition tasks: Evidence for adaptive control

Esli Struys,Evy Woumans,Olga Kepinska,Maurits Van Den Noort,Soudabeh Nour

doi:10.1017/s1366728918000342

Abstract

Language switching experience is assumed to have an effect on domain-general control abilities in bilinguals, but previous studies on the relationship between these two variables have generated mixed results. The present study investigated the effects of bilingual experiences on the interaction between language switching and domain-general control. Thirty-two Dutch–French bilingual young adults executed a bilingual categorisation task to assess their language switching abilities and a Simon task to assess domain-general control. The results show that global response times on the Simon task were correlated to the forward switch cost (from L1 to L2); moreover, interestingly, the forward switch cost was found to be related to recent language exposure but not to the age of second language acquisition. We suggest a monitoring account of language switching to integrate the first finding with previous studies and we interpret the second finding as support for the adaptive control hypothesis.

Highlights

IntroductionThis question has led to a considerable number of studies over the last decade (Kroll & Bialystok, 2013)
How do bilinguals manage two language systems in their daily interactions? This question has led to a considerable number of studies over the last decade (Kroll & Bialystok, 2013)
The interaction effect between these two variables was tested to assess the symmetry of switch costs, with a significant interaction effect taken as an indicator of asymmetric switch costs

Summary

Introduction

This question has led to a considerable number of studies over the last decade (Kroll & Bialystok, 2013). These studies show involvement of cognitive control during bilingual language management (Bobb, Wodniecka & Kroll, 2013). This involvement could lead to superior performance of bilinguals on interference tasks with conflict trials such as the Simon task (for a recent review, see Zhou & Krott, 2016).

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion