Random number generation in native and foreign languages.

Abstract

The effects of different levels of language proficiency on random number generation were examined in this study. 16 healthy right-handed students (7 women, 9 men; aged 22 to 25 years, M=23.8, SD=.83) attempted to generate a random sequence of the digits 1 to 9 at pacing frequencies of 1, 1.5, and 2 Hz. Randomization was done in German (native language L1), English (first foreign language L2), and French (second foreign language L3). There was a pattern of redundancy and seriation tendencies, increasing with speed of generation for all languages (L1-L3). While using L2 and L3, responses slowed and the number of errors committed increased. Further, there was a peculiar pattern of dissociation in nonrandom performance with an increase of habitual counting in ones and a strong reduction of counting in twos. All effects were most pronounced when subjects used L3 and 2-Hz pacing rates. Slowing and nonrandomness was not correlated with self-assessment parameters regarding language proficiency. We suggest that in a task involving number activation in a nonnative language, lack of proficiency will interfere with random number generation, leading to interruptions and rule breaking, at least when reaching the limits of attentional capacity at higher pacing rates.