Language 3 Bilingual brain and cognitive functioning

Question 1

L1

Answer 1

First language (mother tongue)

Question 2

L2

Answer 2

Second language (learnt after)

Question 3

Simultaneous bilingualism

Answer 3

L1 and L2 learned at the same time

Question 4

Early sequential bilingualism

Answer 4

L1 learned first, L2 learned relatively early in childhood

Question 5

Late successive bilingualism

Answer 5

L1 learned first, L2 learned later in adolescence

Question 6

Cognates

Answer 6

words that sound alike and mean the same thing in 2 languages i.e. piano in english/spanish

Question 7

Explain the process of each model in terms of trying to name a picture in L1/L2

Answer 7

WAM-
If wanting to name a picture in L2 according to WAM it will take LONGER than to translate from L1 to L2 (3 steps need)
Words in L2 and L1 are associated

CM-
If wanting to name a picture in L2 it should take the SAME time to do so, as from L1 to L2 (words in both L1/L2 are associated with concepts BUT not directly with each other).

Question 8

Explain the process of each model in terms of trying to name a picture in L1/L2

Answer 8

WAM-
If wanting to name a picture in L2 according to WAM it will take LONGER than to translate from L1 to L2 (3 steps need)
Words in L2 and L1 are associated

CM-
If wanting to name a picture in L2 it should take the SAME time to do so, as from L1 to L2 (words in both L1/L2 are associated with concepts BUT not directly with each other).
CM is more regarded

Question 9

A revised model was created to account for the fact that bilinguals make backward translation faster than doing forward translation, something CM (the better What was it called? Expand on the model

Answer 9

The Revised Hierarchical Model.
It brings together WAM and CM.
L1 labels directly connect to L2 but the connection is weaker in this direction than the L2 to L1 (stronger lexical links- makes translation in this direction easier).
From L1 to L2 - must first go through your concepts in order to translate (why is why it takes longer to translate). Concepts aren’t needed when doing backward translation

Question 10

Support for the revised Hierarchical Model (RHM)

Answer 10

Dutch (L1)- English (L2) bilinguals used in a translation task of categorised and randomised word lists.
Found it took them longer to translate from L1 to L2 for categorised (semantically related) items, was much harder.
But, not much difference found for randomised word lists.
Supports RHM-
because forward translation is CONCEPT mediated (must go through concept links). This is why you get more semantic interference than in backward translation (where concepts aren’t needed).

Question 11

Study example explaining if both languages are simultaneously activated/competing/

Answer 11

Study- Presented Spanish-English bilinguals with a translation judgement task and asked if words presented have same meaning (Cara, Card). Due to their semantic similarity there is interference, producing false alarms.

Question 12

Outline what the Bilingual Interaction Activation (BIA+) tells us

Answer 12

‘Language nodes’ of the word identification system (various interlinking levels) are responsible for determining which language needs to be more active in a given situation.

• Simultaneous activation of languages occur since similar concepts/sounds are activated as we want to produce a word/sound.
• These competitors are either within/between languages fighting, and the appropriate one is selected (influence by top-down/bottom-up processes i.e. context)

Question 13

Competition

Answer 13

Lexical entries and their representations compete for activation and selection (from both languages)
Words from both langs compete to gain control of the output mechanisms

Question 14

2 examples of support for the competition of lexical entries for both languages

Answer 14

Since this happens unconsciously how can it be supported?
1) Cognate advantage-
Spanish-English bilinguals and English monolinguals did a picture naming task.
ToTs for cognate/non-cognates were measured.
Found- Bilinguals showed significantly reduced performance in the cognate trials than non-cognates (since more interference occurs between L1/L2 being active

2) Interference effects-
Dutch-English bilinguals did a picture naming task in English while listening to distractor words.
Phonologically similar words sped up naming, whilst semantically similar words slowed down naming.
Shows that bilinguals cannot ignore their L1 when speaking in L2

Question 15

Gestures and bilingualism study

Answer 15

Cartoon narration in English, measuring number of gestures p’s made per word.
Found-
Bilinguals gesture more than monolinguals. More of a need to ensure communication in chosen language is clear.

Gesture transfer goes from a high to low frequency language (i.e.French/Spanish considered high frequency).

Question 16

Are bilinguals better able to manage conflicting information than monolinguals?
Simon task effect- explain

Answer 16

Executive control involved (skills allowing for effective thought processing management) i.e. interference suppression (ignore distractors), response inhibition (bypass wrong responses).

The Simon task- the difference in response times between congruent/incongruent trials (of colour patches to be matched).
Found- bilinguals were consistently slightly faster at the simon task (in younger adulthood).
Then from 60+ years bilinguals had much more advantage between determining colour/spatial location incongruence tasks

Question 17

Outline the flanker task and it’s key findings

Answer 17

Direction/spatial location task (arrows and diamond shapes), measures difference in response time and accuracy between congruent and incongruent trials, which gives estimate of p’s difficulty in resolving the conflict.
Found-
bilinguals do far better in the incongruent trials (than monolinguals.
The cognitive control between 2 languages (inhibition/activation) that they constantly undertake allowed for greater performance

Question 18

Neuroscience of bilingualism

Answer 18

Research still in infancy. But suggestions that bilingual’s two languages SHARE SPACE in the brain, there isn’t a specific area of brain occupied for L2.
> bilinguals have structural differences in their brain- increased growt, with more grey/white matter density due to the fact the brain is exercised more and connections between areas are increasingly active.

Question 19

Bilingual advantage in ageing?

Answer 19

Early lifelong bilingualism affects structure of brain white matter and preserves its integrity in older age.
Links to reduction in likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Question 20

Key considerations regarding bilingual language study in speakers

Answer 20

Challenging due to diversity of speaker’s profiles/experiences-
> state of language acquistion, level of language proficiency, similarity between languages, multilingualism
> some bilinguals will not perform as well/similarly in all cognitive tasks. Bilinguals dont do as well in phonological tasks as monolinguals

Question 21

Findings of a meta-analysis on bilingualism

Answer 21

> Studies that included fast response times as part of the experiment showed no bilingual advantage. Monolinguals performed equally well.
If p’s given MORE time to make their responses, only then does the bilingual advantage show