Bilingual Advantages

This publication compares differences in cognitive control between bilingual individuals with heterogeneous bilingual experiences. The results clarify the specific relationships between three different bilingual experiences and three aspects of bilingual advantage in cognitive control.

The question whether bilingualism is linked to benefits in cognitive control (executive functions) is intensely debated among linguists. While some studies come to the conclusion that bilingual individuals consistently outperform their monolingual counterparts on tasks involving cognitive control, other studies argue that there is no coherent evidence showing that bilingual advantages actually exist. This opposing view results from two inadequately investigated perspectives, namely the complexities of bilingualism and the multifaceted nature of cognitive control. This publication combines these two perspectives and presents a new approach towards the analysis of bilingual advantage. It discusses the results of a combined analysis of both specific bilingual experiences and specific aspects of cognitive control.

Autorentext
Dr. Zhilong Xie is director and Associate Professor at the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching & Education of Foreign Languages College at Jiangxi Normal University in China. His current research focuses on the interaction between cognitive control and bilingual usage. Other areas of research include foreign language teaching, second language acquisition, and intercultural communication.

Inhalt

Bilingual experience and cognitive control - Bilingual Advantage - Research Rationale and Questions - Experiment One - Bilingual Advantage in the Chinese Context - Experiment Two - L2 Proficiency and Cognitive Control - Experiment Three - Language Interpreting Experience and Cognitive Control - Experiment Four - Public Speaking Experience and Cognitive Control - General Discussion.