APA 7: TWs Editor. (2023, November 22). The Bilingual Brain’s Ability to Ignore Irrelevant Information May Be Superior. PerEXP Teamworks. [News Link]
The research, conducted by Grace deMeurisse, a Ph.D. candidate in linguistics at the University of Florida, and Edith Kaan, a professor in the department of linguistics at UF, delved into the distinctions in attentional control between bilingual and monolingual individuals. It specifically focused on their abilities to disregard irrelevant information at a given moment.
According to deMeurisse, the study’s findings indicate that bilingual individuals demonstrate increased efficiency in disregarding irrelevant information, rather than actively suppressing or inhibiting it. One potential explanation for this phenomenon is linked to the continuous cognitive switching demanded of bilinguals, as they frequently alternate between two languages. The need to shift attention away from the inactive language may contribute to their heightened ability to ignore irrelevant information.
Consider, for instance, a person proficient in both English and Spanish engaged in a conversation in Spanish. In such a scenario, both languages remain mentally active, but English is temporarily set aside, always poised for immediate utilization when required.
According to deMeurisse, various studies have delved into the differences between bilingual and monolingual groups concerning fundamental cognitive mechanisms. These mechanisms encompass mental processes such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making.
DeMeurisse notes that the impact of bilingualism on cognitive control is a subject of ongoing debate. While some literature suggests that the differences may not be highly noticeable, she proposes that this could be attributed to the specific tasks employed by linguists to explore distinctions between bilingual and monolingual individuals.
In their study, DeMeurisse and Kaan aimed to uncover potential differences between bilingual and monolingual individuals. They employed a novel task in psycholinguistics, the Partial Repetition Cost task, to assess participants’ capabilities in handling incoming information and exercising control over their attention.
Kaan shared that their findings indicate a proficiency among bilingual individuals in disregarding irrelevant information.
The study encompassed two distinct subject groups: functional monolinguals and bilinguals. Functional monolinguals were identified as individuals with two years or less of foreign language classroom experience, solely using the first language acquired during childhood. Bilinguals, on the other hand, were characterized as those who acquired both their first and second languages between the ages of 9 to 12 and continued to actively use both languages.
Kaan clarified that an individual’s cognitive characteristics are in a constant state of adjustment based on external influences. She emphasized that as humans, we possess few traits that remain fixed over our lifetime. In the context of bilingualism, she explained that our cognition continually adapts to the situation of being bilingual. Importantly, Kaan noted that this adaptation doesn’t imply immutability; if an individual ceases to use their second language, it’s plausible that their cognition may undergo changes accordingly.
The study conducted at UF underscores the necessity for greater consistency in the diverse experiments employed to comprehend distinctions between individuals who are monolingual and those who are multilingual.
DeMeurisse emphasized a shift in the approach to studying bilingualism and cognition. The research aims to redefine the discourse surrounding distinctions between bilinguals and monolinguals, actively exploring additional factors to consider and employing diverse methods to conduct this research.
The researchers clarified that their study did not aim to assert an advantage of individuals who speak two or more languages over those who speak only one.
DeMeurisse emphasized that their focus wasn’t on identifying advantages or disadvantages. Instead, she highlighted the universally positive aspects of learning a second language, including cognitive, social, and environmental benefits. Regardless of potential cognitive differences, exposure to a second language is viewed as a positive and enriching experience.
Resources
- ONLINE NEWS University of Florida. (2023, November 21). The bilingual brain may be better at ignoring irrelevant information. Phys.org. [Phys.org]
- JOURNAL deMeurisse, G., & Kaan, E. (2023). Bilingual attentional control: Evidence from the Partial Repetition Cost paradigm. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 1–11. [Bilingualism: Language and Cognition]
