Abstract
Language dominance has long been considered an important factor in determining the processing time associated with language switching. It is evident that when an unbalanced bilingual switch from ones non-dominant to dominant language (backward switching), s/he requires more reaction time in comparison to when s/he switches from dominant language to non-dominant language (forward switching). In this study, the researcher examined the effects of language dominance and switching on the response time in the cued picture-naming paradigm. Results indicate that the overall response time required by balanced bilingual is less than that of Hindi dominant bilinguals. It was also found that, Hindi dominant required more reaction time in backward switching in comparison to forward switching. For balanced bilinguals, the difference between forward and backward switching was not found to be significant. The results of this study have been discussed in light of the concept of ‘reactive inhibition’ of the Inhibitory Control Model (ICM).
Highlights
Language dominance has long been considered an important factor in determining the processing time associated with language switching
Balanced bilinguals would be faster than Hindi dominant bilinguals across all switch directions
Aim of the present study was to examine the effect of language switching on the response latency in the cued picture-naming paradigm among Hindi dominant and balanced bilinguals
Summary
Language dominance has long been considered an important factor in determining the processing time associated with language switching. In order to do so, researchers concentrated on conducting studies in which bilinguals were asked to switch between two languages These studies made use of production (or comprehension) tasks, which required the participants to name (or press the corresponding button) the digits, pictures, or other stimuli in their first / mother / native language (L1) or second / foreign / non-native language (L2). The bilingual requires approximately 600 milliseconds to make a response on the switch trials and 530 milliseconds on the non-switch trials; the difference of 70 milliseconds is regarded as the switch cost pertaining to moving from one language to the other This cost has been observed in language production (Costa & Santesteban, 2004) and in comprehension (Thomas & Allport, 2000)
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