Bilingualism and Cognitive Control: A State of the Art Review

1664 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The benefits of learning foreign languages

The bilingual cognitive advantage
Recent research has posited beneficial effects of bilingualism on linguistic cognitive abilities in two major areas: metalinguistic awareness and EF (Bialystok, et al., 2012). However, these major areas are not unitary systems; they include subcategories. This paper shed lights into them, while discussing cognitive control extensively in the next section.
Metalinguistic awareness
Metalinguistic awareness refers to ‘the ability to manipulate linguistic units and reflect upon structural properties of language’ (Kuo et al, 2011). Since it is not a unitary component (Bialystok, 2001), research always classifies it into subcomponents. The majority of research deals with specific aspects of linguistic structure. Thus, dividing metalinguistic awareness into four components: lexical, phonological, syntactic and semantic awareness (Chin & Wigglesworth, 2007).
Giving the fact that metalinguistic awareness is not a single unit; different aspects of metalinguistic awareness reveal different correlates. While research about lexical awareness supports monolingual superiority (Chin & Wigglesworth, 2007), phonological awareness studies show discrepancy (Adesope et.al, 2010). It follows that not all research findings support bilingual superiority in all metalinguistic aspects. Some, report disadvantage or no difference between monolinguals and bilinguals, despite the fact that null significance is rare because journals interested more in dramatic findings (Bialystok, 2001; Adesope et.al, 2010).
Executive functions
This umbrella term compromises ‘various complex cognitive processes and sub-processes (Elliott, 2003). It refers to ‘the set of abilities that allows an individual to select an action that is appr...

... middle of paper ...

...ya, J., & Bialystok, E. (2011). The effects of bilingualism on toddlers’ executive functioning. Journal of experimental child psychology, 108(3), 567-579.
Pratte, M. S., Rouder, J. N., Morey, R. D., & Feng, C. (2010). Exploring the differences in distributional properties between Stroop and Simon effects using delta plots. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 72(7), 2013-2025.
Simon, J. R. (1969). Reactions towards the source of stimulation. Journal of experimental Psychology, 81, 174-176 .
Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology,18:643-662.
Werker, J. F., & Byers-Heinlein, K. (2008). Bilingualism in infancy: First steps in perception and comprehension. Trends in cognitive sciences, 12(4), 144-151.
Yoshida, H. (2008). The cognitive consequences of early bilingualism. Zero to Three, 29(2), 26-30.

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Adlerian Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy

    3630 Words  | 8 Pages

    Schacter, D. L., Gilbert, D. T., & Wegner, D. M. (2010). Psychology. (2nd ed., p. 600). New York: Worth Pub.

    Read More

  • Nature v. Nurture in Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins

    2232 Words  | 5 Pages

    Skinner, B.F. A Brief Survey of Operant Behavior. Cambridge, MA: B. F. Skinner Foundation. 1938

    Read More

  • The Stroop Experiment

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although correlation does not equal causation, we can conclude that similar cognitive processes, such as interference and automaticity, have influenced the results in our experiment. This can be expressed by the data and in identifying and saying aloud/reading a simple number compared to quantifying simple numbers. The cognitive load of reading familiar or smaller words is lower than that of counting, thus creating perchance a longer reaction time. In the experiment conducted in class as well as the one conducted by Stroop, the issue of divided attention may have been a great factor in interference or prolonged reaction time in the conditions. Psychological refractory period which states that the response to a second stimulus is slowed down by the first stimulus being processed; this can be a cause for the finding of increased reaction time when conflicting information is given. Attention may unconsciously be given to the less complex task, which is reading/identifying, and counting the main and more complex task may be interfered by the simpler stimulus. The expectation of having a longer reaction time when conducting the incongruent task was referenced back to the Stroop effect due to the similar implications of identifying and saying aloud the color presented in the print of the color descriptive word (Stroop,

    Read More

  • Bilingualism and Multiliteracies in Australia

    1325 Words  | 3 Pages

    Purcell, J., Lee, M., & Biffin, J. (2006). Supporting bilingual children in early childhood. Learning Links. Retrieved from http://www.learninglinks.org.au/pdf/infosheets/LLIS%2050_Bilingualism.pdf

    Read More

  • French Classes Should be Mandatory For Canadian Students

    1556 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mental flexibility is superior in bilingual children since learning two language forces their minds to process two language systems at one time. Bilingualism promotes divergent (a divergent thinker is someone who thinks of many possible solutions to a problem) and creative thinking (Baker, 144-145). This increase of creative thinking gives a wider variety of associations (Baker, 145-146). Bilingualism is also associated with increased meta-cognitive flexibility and better performance on certain perpetual tasks, such as recognizing a perpetual object “embedded” in a visual background or classification tasks (Marian, et al.,1). Their divergent thinking helps relevant aspects of a problem may become more salient to bilingual children since their experiences with two language systems and cultures enable them to incorporate different perspectives to the solution (Bialystok, 2001 pg. 204). Bilingualism promotes divergent thinking that is caused by greater cognitive flexibility.

    Read More

  • Language Barrier: Bilingual Education vs. English Immersion

    1234 Words  | 3 Pages

    Donegan, Craig. “Debate over bilingualism.” CQ Researcher. 19 January 1996. 6, 49-72. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

    Read More

  • Bilingual Plasticity: Plasticity in the Brains of Bilinguals

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    Krizman, J., Marian, V., Shook, A., Skoe, E., & Kraus, N. (2012). Subcortical encoding of sound is enhanced in bilinguals and relates to executive function advantges. PNAS, 109(20), 7877-7881. doi: 10.1073

    Read More

  • The Stroop Effect Comparing Color Word Labels and Color Patch Labels

    1809 Words  | 4 Pages

    This Stroop phenomenon has proven to be robust against more than 700 Stroop related articles (see MacLeod, 1991 for a full review). The traditional Stroop effect used verbal responses with five colors, red, green, blue, purple and brown. Stroop (1935) conducted 2 experiments,

    Read More

  • Watson and Rayner’s Classical Study with Llittle Albert

    1737 Words  | 4 Pages

    John B.Watson, R Rayner, (February, 1920), Journal of Experimental Psychology, Conditioned Emotional Reactions, Vol. lll, No. i.

    Read More

  • Perspective of Aging: A Phenomenological Approach

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    Davis, S. F., & Palladino, J. J. (2003). Psychology. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

    Read More

  • Placing English Language Learners in Special Education

    1180 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kapantzoglou, M., Restrepo, M., & Thompson, M. S. (2012). Dynamic Assessment of Word Learning Skills: Identifying Language Impairment in Bilingual Children. Language, Speech & Hearing Services In Schools, 43(1), 81-96. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2011/10-0095)

    Read More

  • the false consensus effect

    746 Words  | 2 Pages

    Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 13, 279-301.

    Read More

  • The Little Albert Experiment by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Watson, J. B. (1920). Conditioned emotional reactions. The American Psychologist, 55(3), 313-317. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/

    Read More

  • Is Psychology a Science?

    1124 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hewstone, M. Fincham, F. and Foster, J (2005). Psychology. Oxford: The British Psychological Society, and Blackwell Publishing. P3-23.

    Read More

  • Kahneman's Model of Divided Attention

    1774 Words  | 4 Pages

    Weiner, I. Healy, A. Freedheim, D. Proctor,R.W., Schinka,J.A. (2003) Handbook of Psychology: Experimental psychology,18, pp 500

    Read More

More about Bilingualism and Cognitive Control: A State of the Art Review

Open Document