1
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Crișan I, Ali S, Cutler L, Matei A, Avram L, Erdodi LA. Geographic variability in limited English proficiency: A cross-cultural study of cognitive profiles. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2023; 29:972-983. [PMID: 37246143 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617723000280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was designed to evaluate the effect of limited English proficiency (LEP) on neurocognitive profiles. METHOD Romanian (LEP-RO; n = 59) and Arabic (LEP-AR; n = 30) native speakers were compared to Canadian native speakers of English (NSE; n = 24) on a strategically selected battery of neuropsychological tests. RESULTS As predicted, participants with LEP demonstrated significantly lower performance on tests with high verbal mediation relative to US norms and the NSE sample (large effects). In contrast, several tests with low verbal mediation were robust to LEP. However, clinically relevant deviations from this general pattern were observed. The level of English proficiency varied significantly within the LEP-RO and was associated with a predictable performance pattern on tests with high verbal mediation. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneity in cognitive profiles among individuals with LEP challenges the notion that LEP status is a unitary construct. The level of verbal mediation is an imperfect predictor of the performance of LEP examinees during neuropsychological testing. Several commonly used measures were identified that are robust to the deleterious effects of LEP. Administering tests in the examinee's native language may not be the optimal solution to contain the confounding effect of LEP in cognitive evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Crișan
- Department of Psychology, West University of Timișoara, Timișoara, Romania
| | - Sami Ali
- Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
| | - Laura Cutler
- Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
| | - Alina Matei
- Department of Psychology, West University of Timișoara, Timișoara, Romania
| | - Luisa Avram
- Department of Psychology, West University of Timișoara, Timișoara, Romania
| | - Laszlo A Erdodi
- Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
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2
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Irani D, Purmohammad M. Comparison of language awareness in Kurdish-Persian bilingual children and Persian monolingual children. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2023; 12:56-63. [PMID: 35166620 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2022.2029447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The present study examines language awareness between bilinguals and monolingual children. Language awareness is a person's explicit understanding of language and its role in thinking, learning, and social life, which is associated with executive functioning. Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) test was designed to evaluate executive functioning. The test includes two parts: verbal and non-verbal. In this study, the verbal part including Twenty Questions, Word context, and proverb of D-KEFS was used. Kurdish-Persian bilinguals and Persian monolinguals attended this study. The results showed that in the Twenty Questions, word context, and proverb, there was a significant difference between bilinguals and monolinguals. Bilinguals outperformed monolinguals in both twenty-question and word context tests, while they performed lower on the proverb test. It can be concluded that bilingualism affects language awareness and also influences different aspects of executive functioning in different manners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Irani
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive & Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Purmohammad
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive & Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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3
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Rivera M, Paolieri D, Iniesta A, Bajo T. Cognitive and contextual factors modulating grammar learning at older ages. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:943392. [PMID: 36118687 PMCID: PMC9471146 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.943392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Second language learning has been shown more difficult for older than younger adults, however, the research trying to identify the sources of difficulty and possible modulating factors is scarce. Extrinsic (learning condition and complexity) and intrinsic factors (executive control) have been related to L2-grammar learning in younger adults. In the present study, we aim to assess whether extrinsic and intrinsic factors are also modulating grammar learning in older adults. We compared the learning performance of younger and older adults in a L2 learning task. 162 Spanish native-speakers (81 young) learnt Japañol (Japanese syntaxis and Spanish lexicon) in either an intentional (metalinguistic explanation) or an incidental (comprehension of sentences) context. The complexity of the sentences was also manipulated by introducing (or not) a subordinate clause. Individual differences in proactivity were measured with the AX-CPT task. After the learning phase, participants performed a Grammatical Judgment Task where they answered if the presented sentences were grammatically correct. No differences between older and younger adults were found. Overall, better results were found for the intentional-condition than for the incidental-condition. A significant interaction between learning context and the proactivity index in the AX-CPT task showed that more proactive participants were better when learning in the incidental-condition. These results suggest that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors are important during language learning and that they equally affect younger and older adults.
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4
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Dash T, Joanette Y, Ansaldo AI. Multifactorial approaches to study bilingualism in the aging population: Past, present, future. Front Psychol 2022; 13:917959. [PMID: 35967735 PMCID: PMC9372590 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.917959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A better understanding and more reliable classification of bilinguals has been progressively achieved through the fine-tuning methodology and simultaneously optimizing the measurement tools. However, the current understanding is far from generalization to a larger population varying in different measures of bilingualism-L2 Age of acquisition (L2 AOA), L2 usage and exposure, and L2 proficiency. More recent studies have highlighted the importance of modeling bilingualism as a continuous variable. An in-depth look at the role of bilingualism, comparing groups, may be considered a reductionist approach, i.e., grouping based on one measure of bilingualism (e.g., L2 AOA) may not account for variability in other measures of bilingualism (L2 exposure, L2 use or L2 proficiency, amongst others) within and between groups. Similarly, a multifactorial dimension is associated with cognitive performance, where not all domains of cognition and subcomponents are equally influenced by bilingualism. In addition, socio-cultural and demographical factors may add another dimension to the impact of bilingualism on cognitive performance, especially in older adults. Nevertheless, not many studies have controlled or used the multiple socio-cultural and demographical factors as a covariate to understand the role of different aspects of bilingualism that may influence cognitive performance differently. Such an approach would fail to generalize the research findings to a larger group of bilinguals. In the present review paper, we illustrate that considering a multifactorial approach to different dimensions of bilingual study may lead to a better understanding of the role of bilingualism on cognitive performance. With the evolution of various fine-tuned methodological approaches, there is a greater need to study variability in bilingual profiles that can help generalize the result universally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Dash
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yves Joanette
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ana Inés Ansaldo
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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5
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Bialystok E. Bilingualism as a Slice of Swiss Cheese. Front Psychol 2021; 12:769323. [PMID: 34819899 PMCID: PMC8606518 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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Filippi R, Ceccolini A, Bright P. Trajectories of verbal fluency and executive functions in multilingual and monolingual children and adults: A cross-sectional study. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2021; 75:130-147. [PMID: 34092150 PMCID: PMC8600596 DOI: 10.1177/17470218211026792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The development of verbal fluency is associated with the maturation of executive
function skills, such as the ability to inhibit irrelevant information, shift
between tasks, and hold information in working memory. Some evidence suggests
that multilinguistic upbringing may underpin disadvantages in verbal fluency and
lexical retrieval, but can also afford executive function advantages beyond the
language system including possible beneficial effects in older age. This study
examined the relationship between verbal fluency and executive function in 324
individuals across the lifespan by assessing the developmental trajectories of
English monolingual and multilingual children aged 7–15 years
(N = 154) and adults from 18 to 80 years old
(N = 170). The childhood data indicated patterns of
improvement in verbal fluency and executive function skills as a function of
age. Multilingual and monolingual children had comparable developmental
trajectories in all linguistic and non-linguistic measures used in the study
with the exception of planning, for which monolingual children showed a steeper
improvement over the studied age range relative to multilingual children. For
adults, monolinguals and multilingual participants had comparable performance on
all measures with the exception of nonverbal inhibitory control and response
times on the Tower of London task: monolinguals showed a steeper decline
associated with age. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that verbal fluency
was associated with working memory and fluid intelligence in monolingual
participants but not in multilinguals. These findings raise the possibility that
early acquisition of an additional language may impact on the development of the
functional architecture serving high-level human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Filippi
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.,Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Ceccolini
- Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Bright
- Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
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7
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Chung-Fat-Yim A, Sorge GB, Bialystok E. Continuous effects of bilingualism and attention on Flanker task performance. BILINGUALISM (CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND) 2020; 23:1106-1111. [PMID: 33841031 PMCID: PMC8029589 DOI: 10.1017/s1366728920000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Both bilingualism and attention contribute to the development of executive functioning (EF), with higher levels of both leading to better outcomes. The present study treats bilingualism and attention as continuous variables to investigate their impact on EF. Eighty-two 9-year-olds who were attending a French school in an anglophone community completed a flanker task. Children's progress in French represented their level of bilingualism, and attention was assessed through a standard standardized instrument. Degree of bilingualism and degree of attention were both positively related to performance, but exposure to a third language in the home did not further affect outcomes.
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8
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Heredia RR, Blackburn AM, Vega LA. Moderation-Mediation Effects in Bilingualism and Cognitive Reserve. Front Psychol 2020; 11:572555. [PMID: 33101142 PMCID: PMC7554512 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.572555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We first provide a critical review of the existing findings on bilingualism as a contributor to cognitive reserve from moderator-mediator warranting cause-effect research conclusions. We next address the question of direct or indirect effects between bilingualism and neurocognitive protective factors influencing the associated age-related mental deficits. The existing findings support bilingualism as a predictor and as a moderator. Third, we propose cognitive reserve models of bilingualism describing analytical approaches that allow testing of these models and hypotheses related to path strength and causal relationships between predictors, moderators, and mediators. Lastly and most importantly, we suggest using large datasets available via open repositories. This can aid in the testing of theoretical models, clarifying the roles of moderators and mediators, and assessing the research viability of multi-causal paths that can influence cognitive reserve. Creating collaborative datasets to test these models would greatly advance our field and identify critical variables in the study of the bilingual aging brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto R Heredia
- Department of Psychology and Communication, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX, United States
| | - Angélique M Blackburn
- Department of Psychology and Communication, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX, United States
| | - Luis A Vega
- Department of Psychology, California State University-Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA, United States
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9
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Ware AT, Kirkovski M, Lum JAG. Meta-Analysis Reveals a Bilingual Advantage That Is Dependent on Task and Age. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1458. [PMID: 32793026 PMCID: PMC7394008 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Debate continues on whether a bilingual advantage exists with respect to executive functioning. This report synthesized the results of 170 studies to test whether the bilingual advantage is dependent on the task used to assess executive functioning and the age of the participants. The results of the meta-analyses indicated that the bilingual advantage was both task- and age-specific. Bilinguals were significantly faster than monolinguals (Hedges' g values ranged from 0.23 to 0.34), and significantly more accurate than monolinguals (Hedges' g values ranged between 0.18 and 0.49) on four out of seven tasks. Also, an effect of age was found whereby the bilingual advantage was larger for studies comprising samples aged 50-years and over (Hedges' g = 0.49), compared to those undertaken with participants aged between 18 and 29 years (Hedges' g = 0.12). The extent to which the bilingual advantage might be due to publication bias was assessed using multiple methods. These were Egger's Test of Asymmetry, Duval and Tweedie's Trim and Fill, Classic Fail-Safe N, and PET-PEESE. Publication bias was only found when using Egger's Test of Asymmetry and PET-PEESE method, but not when using the other methods. This review indicates that if bilingualism does enhance executive functioning, the effects are modulated by task and age. This may arise because using multiple languages has a highly specific effect on executive functioning which is only observable in older, relative to younger, adults. The finding that publication bias was not uniformly detected across the different methods raises questions about the impact that unpublished (or undetected) studies have on meta-analyses of this literature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jarrad A. G. Lum
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
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10
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Celik S, Kokje E, Meyer P, Frölich L, Teichmann B. Does bilingualism influence neuropsychological test performance in older adults? A systematic review. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2020; 29:855-873. [PMID: 32677470 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2020.1788032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Using standardized tests which have been normed on monolinguals for the assessment of bilinguals presents challenges to the accurate characterization of cognitive profile as the literature provides compelling evidence for the influence of bilingualism on cognitive abilities. However, little is known about the generalizability of these findings to clinical neuropsychology. The aim of this review was to address this gap by summarizing current evidence on the performance of bilingual older adults on standardized tests routinely used in clinical practice. METHOD A systematic search of Web of Science, PsycINFO and PubMed was conducted. 27 cross-sectional and longitudinal studies which use at least one standardized neuropsychological test for cognitive impairment were included in the review. Potential demographic (cultural/linguistic background of the participants, immigrant status), clinical (diagnostic status), and methodological confounders (language of test administration, components of bilingualism) were also examined. The review protocol was registered at the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Review with registration number CRD42018114658. RESULTS The results of this review revealed some bilingual advantage on measures of inhibitory control and bilingual disadvantage on measures of verbal fluency in cross-sectional studies. Bilingualism status was not associated with test performance in longitudinal studies. However, findings lack consistency due to demographic variables and methodological differences across studies. CONCLUSION Neuropsychological tests assessing language domains and, to some extent executive function act as clinically relevant features of bilingualism for neuropsychological evaluation. However, immigration status, acculturation level and language of test administration needs to be taken into account when assessing bilingual older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simge Celik
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eesha Kokje
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patric Meyer
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Applied Psychology, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lutz Frölich
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Teichmann
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Filippi R, Ceccolini A, Periche-Tomas E, Bright P. Developmental trajectories of metacognitive processing and executive function from childhood to older age. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2020; 73:1757-1773. [PMID: 32419614 PMCID: PMC7715991 DOI: 10.1177/1747021820931096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The modern understanding of the term metacognition encompasses two levels of processing: a lower level awareness or knowledge of one’s own thoughts and a higher level regulation or control of our thinking. Metacognition, therefore, bears conceptual similarity with executive function: both are concerned with top-down monitoring and control of cognition in the service of ongoing goal-directed behaviour. Previous studies have shown a possible executive function advantage in multilingual speakers but also a possible disadvantage in metacognitive processing. To progress theory on metacognitive processing and the relationship with executive function and linguistic experience across the lifespan, we conducted a study testing 330 healthy individuals in four age groups from 7 to 80 years old. All participants performed a metacognition task and two measures of executive function, which included the Simon task and the Tower of London task. Half the participants were multilingual speakers since birth. We built developmental trajectories of metacognitive and executive function across the lifespan. The best metacognitive efficiency was observed in mid-adulthood, whereas the best executive function processing reached its peak in young adulthood. A steep cognitive decline was observed in older age, while metacognitive efficiency was preserved. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that metacognition and executive function are served by different factors across all ages. Contrary to previous findings in the bilingual literature, a multilinguistic experience conferred neither any significant advantage nor disadvantage in both executive function and metacognitive processing across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Filippi
- Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), London, UK.,Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Andrea Ceccolini
- Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Eva Periche-Tomas
- Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), London, UK.,Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), London, UK.,Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Peter Bright
- Multilanguage and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), London, UK.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
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12
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Filippi R, Periche Tomas E, Papageorgiou A, Bright P. A role for the cerebellum in the control of verbal interference: Comparison of bilingual and monolingual adults. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231288. [PMID: 32315339 PMCID: PMC7173859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluate brain structure sensitivity to verbal interference in a sentence interpretation task, building on previously reported evidence that those with better control of verbal interference show higher grey matter density in the posterior paravermis of the right cerebellum. We compare brain structure sensitivity to verbal interference control across two groups, English monolingual (N = 41) and multilingual (N = 46) adults. Using voxel-based morphometry, our primary goal was to identify and explore differences in regional patterns of grey matter sensitivity to performance on the sentence interpretation task, controlling for group variability in age, nonverbal reasoning and vocabulary knowledge. There was no group difference in performance but there was a significant group effect in grey matter sensitivity to task performance in our region of interest: stronger sensitivity in the paravermis in bilinguals compared to monolinguals in accuracy performance in the high (relative to low) verbal interference condition. This effect was observed when the linguistic interference was presented in an unfamiliar language (Greek) but not when presented in the familiar language (English). Our findings suggest that multilanguage acquisition mediates regional involvement within the language network, conferring enhanced functional plasticity within structures (including the paravermis) in the service of control of linguistic interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Filippi
- Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
- MULTAC (Multilanguage and Cognition Lab), Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Eva Periche Tomas
- Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
- MULTAC (Multilanguage and Cognition Lab), Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Andriani Papageorgiou
- Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
- MULTAC (Multilanguage and Cognition Lab), Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Bright
- MULTAC (Multilanguage and Cognition Lab), Institute of Education, University College London, London, England, United Kingdom
- Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
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13
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Paap KR, Mason L, Zimiga B, Ayala-Silva Y, Frost M. The alchemy of confirmation bias transmutes expectations into bilingual advantages: A tale of two new meta-analyses. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2020; 73:1290-1299. [DOI: 10.1177/1747021819900098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Five recent meta-analyses of the bilingual advantage in executive functioning hypothesis have converged on the outcome that the mean effect size is very small and that the incidence of statistically significant bilingual advantages is very low (about 15% of all comparisons). Those analyses that used the PET-PEESE method to correct for publication bias show mean effect sizes that are not different from zero and sometimes negative. In contrast, van den Noort and colleagues provide a sixth review of 46 studies published before October 31, 2018, that appears to produce a very different outcome, namely that more than half the studies yield clear support for the bilingual advantage hypothesis. We show that the deviance is due in part to search terms that yielded far fewer relevant studies, but more importantly to a subjective method of evaluating the results of each study that enables confirmation biases on the part of study authors and meta-analysts to substantially distort the objective pattern of results. A seventh meta-analysis, by Armstrong and colleagues, reports significant bilingual advantages of g = 0.48 for 32 samples using Simon and Stroop colour–word interference tasks that tested older adults. However, all effects were entered into the funnel plots as positive even though many were negative (bilingual disadvantages). This and other striking anomalies are consistent with the view that confirmation bias can suspend critical judgement and promulgate errors. Meta-analyses that use preregistration and a many-labs collaboration can better control for both publication and experimenter biases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth R Paap
- Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Mason
- Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brandon Zimiga
- Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yocelyne Ayala-Silva
- Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Frost
- Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
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14
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Armstrong BA, Ein N, Wong BI, Gallant SN, Li L. Retracted: The Effect of Bilingualism on Older Adults' Inhibitory Control: A Meta-Analysis. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2019; 61:e102-e117. [PMID: 31291456 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnz086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The effect bilingualism has on older adults' inhibitory control has been extensively investigated, yet there is continued controversy regarding whether older adult bilinguals show superior inhibitory control compared with monolinguals. The objective of the current meta-analysis was to examine the reliability and magnitude of the bilingualism effect on older adults' inhibitory control as measured by the Simon and Stroop tasks. In addition, we examined whether individual characteristics moderate the bilingual advantage in inhibition, including age (young-old vs old-old), age of second language acquisition, immigrant status, language proficiency, and frequency of language use. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 22 samples for the Simon task and 14 samples for the Stroop task were derived from 28 published and unpublished articles (32 independent samples, with 4 of these samples using more than 1 task) and were analyzed in 2 separate meta-analyses. RESULTS Analyses revealed a reliable effect of bilingualism on older adults' performance on the Simon (g = 0.60) and Stroop (g = 0.27) tasks. Interestingly, individual characteristics did not moderate the association between bilingualism and older adults' inhibitory control. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS The results suggest there is a bilingual advantage in inhibitory control for older bilinguals compared with older monolinguals, regardless of the individual characteristics previously thought to moderate this effect. Based on these findings, bilingualism may protect inhibitory control from normal cognitive decline with age.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalie Ein
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Brenda I Wong
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sara N Gallant
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Lingqian Li
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
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15
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Mishra RK, Padmanabhuni M, Bhandari P, Viswambharan S, Prasad SG. Language proficiency does not modulate executive control in older bilinguals. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2018; 26:920-951. [PMID: 30596340 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2018.1562029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
We examined if language proficiency modulates performance in tasks that measure executive control in older Telugu-English bilinguals (n = 50, mean age = 57.15 years). We administered numerical Stroop task, Attention Network Task, Dimensional Change Card Sorting task, and stop-signal task that are known to tap into different aspects of executive functioning on healthy aging Telugu-English bilinguals. Second language (English) proficiency was calculated as a cumulative score that considered both subjective and objective measures of L2 fluency and use. Bilinguals were divided into two groups based on the cumulative score and compared on each task. We did not find any effect of language proficiency on any of the executive control measures. The additional Bayesian analysis also supported these findings. Therefore, the results do not support the claim that bilingual language proficiency modulates executive control, at least in the elderly population. We discuss the results with regard to the issue of bilingual advantage in executive control and the role of age and language use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Kumar Mishra
- Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad , Hyderabad , India
| | - Manasa Padmanabhuni
- Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad , Hyderabad , India
| | - Pratik Bhandari
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language , Sebastian , Spain
| | - Shiji Viswambharan
- Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad , Hyderabad , India
| | - Seema Gorur Prasad
- Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad , Hyderabad , India
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