Does bilinguals different language usage cause measurable changes in the shifting aspects of executive function?

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Does bilinguals different language usage cause measurable changes in the shifting aspects of executive function?

Task switching (psychology) Not to be confused with Cognitive-shifting. Task switching, or set-shifting, is an executive function that involves the ability to unconsciously shift attention between one task and another.

variations in the task-switching paradigm

it is possible that an interplay between the participant's age and task demand moderates bilingual advantages in task switching.

this might be due to the differentce between children and adults in terms of cognitive maturation and deteriorations and extent of involvement in challenging cognitive activities other than language switching.

in contrast studies that tested either young children or adults have reported relatively consistent bilingual advantages.

therefore it is not surprinsing that the majority of studies that tested young adults (who have likely reached the peak of their cognitive functioning) have reported either null or inconsistent findings-

The typology of code-switching

bilinguals language switching is classified as

intersentential code switching

it is more demanding than intrasential as it requires language set reconfiguration and proactive inhibition.

it is believed that this type of code switching is further influenced by who initiates the discourse.

other-initiated is triggered unexpectedly and therefore imposes greater demands on language-set reconfiguration and proactive inhibition-

morefrequent exercise of other-initiated intersentential code switching is likeli to be more beneficial for switch costs than self initiated intersentential code switching

self initiated intersentential code switching seems to be less costly and relatively less taxing than other initiated intersentential code switchings because it allows sufficient preparation time to reconfigure language sets.

eg: interchanging two or more languages between sentences

intrasentential code switching

does not necessarily entails a substantial shit from one linguistic set to another.

facilitates language production by permitting the speaker to use whatever comes most readily.

characterized by loan words that are integrated into the other languages syntactic context (eg: grammar)

eg: mixing linguistics units from two languages within a sentence

adaptative control hypothesis proposes that the challenging quality of bilinguals linguistic practices plays a key role in triggering more adaptive cognitive control.

Frequency of language switching

frequent language switching requires greater control of each language. Therefore bilinguals who frequently switch languages will have enhanced task-switching skills.

Some studies have found no correspondance between the percent usage of L1 relative to L2 and self reported language-switching frequency.

language switching frequency also modulates inhibitory control which is closely related to task switching.

Three aspects of bilinguals' language switching experiences:

typology of code switching

Meaning the alternation between two or more languages

language-switching frequency

the interactional context of conversational exchanges

Executive function: multifaceted construct of a general control process.

consists of three postulated functions

updating

inhibition

shifting

Inconsistencies in the literature

bilinguals constantly monitor two languages that are activated simultaneously

others have argued that bilingual advantages should be evident in mixing costs.

language switching requires reconfiguring language sets while inhibiting potential interference from a previously relevant, but now irrelevant, language.

This has led some to argue that bilingual advantages likely reside in switch costs.

Shifting EF has been typically assessed by the task-switching paradigm

Mixing costs

refer to slower responses on task-repeat trials in mixed-task blocks than in pure blocks.

Pure blocks: consist of a single task

reflect the cost of monitoring and coordinating multiple streams of incoming information.

they entail the activation of global control mechanisms that are necessary to monitor task cues, maintain two competing tasks/response sets, and make task-appropriate decisions.

Switch costs refer to slower responses on task switch trials that on non switch trials.

SC are driven by local control mechanisms that involve

inhibition of proactive interference

ability to regulate interference from the previously formed task-set

task-set reconfiguration

It is the ability to change from one task to another

So, they reflect the actual cost of switching between different task sets.

Participants are prompted to alternate between two different tasks.

Eg: color shape or number letter tasks

interactional context of conversational exchanges

adaptative control hypothesis

proposes that language switching in response to an interchange with another speaker incurs greater costs than voluntary language switching.

States that bilinguals interactional context is a key factor that modulates cognitive advantages in EF.

Specifically bilinguals dual language context engages a more complex and taxing level of control pprocesses of goal maintenance, conflict monitoring and interference suppression.

the different interactional contexts of bilinguals' conversational exchanges place varying demands on language control which in turn adaptatively alter their cognitive control capacities.

there are 3 different interactional contexts

codeswitching context

Bilinguals routinely mix the linguistic elements of two languages within a single utterance

single language context

bilinguals speak only 1 language in one environment and therefore rarely switch languages

English at home and Spanish at work

the duallanguage context

given that bilinguals in a dual-language context should experiencenot only more frequentbut also more qualitative challenging language switching it is conceivable that the dual-language context will promote shifting EF and therefore enhance task switching performance.

bilingualswho mainly engage in a duallanguage context show smaller switch costs than those who mainly engage in a single language context

engages a more complex and taxing level of control processes of goal maintenance, conflict monitoring and interference suppression. Therefore facilitates more adaptivecognitive control than either the single language or dense code switching context.

bilinguals use 2 languages L1 and L2, within the same context

Eg: at home and at work (both English and Spanish)