Content area
Executive control abilities and lexical access speed in Stroop performance were investigated in English monolinguals and two groups of bilinguals (English-Chinese and Chinese-English) in their first (L1) and second (L2) languages. Predictions were based on a bilingual cognitive advantage hypothesis, implicating cognitive control ability as the critical factor determining Stroop interference; and two bilingual lexical disadvantage hypotheses, focusing on lexical access speed. Importantly, each hypothesis predicts different response patterns in a Stroop task manipulating stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). There was evidence for a bilingual cognitive advantage, although this effect was sensitive to a number of variables including proficiency, language immersion, and script. In lexical access speed, no differences occurred between monolinguals and bilinguals in their native languages, but there was evidence for a delay in L2 processing speed relative to the L1. Overall, the data highlight the multitude of factors affecting executive control and lexical access speed in bilinguals. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
Details
Monolingualism;
Lexical access;
Language proficiency;
Memory;
Hypotheses;
Stroop task;
Bilingualism;
Experimental psychology;
Phonology;
Cognition & reasoning;
Cognition;
Chinese languages;
Learning transfer;
Data processing;
Native language;
Executive control;
Asian cultural groups;
Competence;
Access;
Cognitive functioning;
Bilingual people;
Stimulus;
Languages