Week 3: Bilingual Language

Question 1

Questions on Bilingual Language

Processing/lexicon (2)

Answer 1

Are the lexicons independent or integrated lexicon?

bilingual language processing language “non-selective” or “selective”

current answer: integrated and non-selective

Question 2

Bilingual Language
Processing: integrated lexicon
support: FMRI

Answer 2

same brain areas are used to represent both languages in bilinguals

language representation in the same area of the brain in both bilinguals and monolinguals

Question 3

Bilingual Language
Processing: non-selective
support: 
van Heuven, et al (1998)
English/Dutch
words only

Answer 3

English/Dutch bilinguals:
used inter-lingual ‘neighbours’
investing RTs for English lexical decision between bi- and mono-linguals

Results:
more Dutch word neighbours, slower the lexical decision time. only for bilinguals.

Joint activation problem

Question 4

Bilingual Advantages

Answer 4

have enhanced inhibitory control evident in non-linguistic tasks requiring the inhibition of distracting information.

Question 5

The controls bilinguals need to be mindful for:
5 main ones.
inhibition and selection(?)

Answer 5

– the intention to speak in a given language

– selection of the word in the intended language

– inhibition of words from the non-target language

– monitoring speech for potential intrusions (other language)

– language disengagement and engagement (switching)

Question 6

Bilingual Advantages (suggested)

Answer 6

have enhanced inhibitory control evident in non-linguistic tasks requiring the inhibition of distracting information.

More developed (grey area density) in dACC, DLPFC and left ACC

Question 7

Supervisory Attentional System is…

its components are

Answer 7

language task Schemas
operates as a ‘top-down’ inhibitory control mechanism to enable selection of schemas relevant to a goal
conceptualiser (C)
goal (G)
Outcome (O)
Inhibited (I)

Question 8

what is language task Schemas

Answer 8

A language task schema regulates the outputs from the lexico-semantic system by:

1) altering the activation levels of representations within that system
2) inhibiting outputs from the system

Question 9

language task Schemas remains active till: (4)

Answer 9

(1) its goal is achieved, => inhibits its own activity
(2) it is actively inhibited by another schema

(3) SAS has changed the goal.
(L3S25)

Question 10

Bi Advantages: more grey matter:

what are the areas involved in?

Answer 10

dACC,

• monitoring correct responses during language condition
• switching task

DLPFC:

• guiding response selection under conditions of conflict
• refresh representations in working memory

left ACC:
- detection of conflict

Question 11

Bi Advantages: more grey matter:

what are the areas involved in?

Answer 11

dACC,

• monitoring correct responses during language condition
• switching task

DLPFC:

• guiding response selection under conditions of conflict
• refresh representations in working memory

left ACC:
- detection of conflict

Question 12

Do bilinguals out-perform monolinguals on non-linguistic measures of cognitive control?

Lehtonen, et al., 2018
(MA across age-grps)

Answer 12

Mixed findings, especially in young ppl
Key tasks used: 
– Flanker task performance 
– Simon task performance
Small effect