Effects of dense code-switching on executive control

Hofweber, J., Marinis, T. and Treffers-Daller, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6575-6736 (2019) Effects of dense code-switching on executive control. In: Sekerina, I. A., Spradlin, L. and Valian, V. (eds.) Bilingualism, Executive Function, and Beyond: Questions and insights. Studies in Bilingualism (57). John Benjamins, pp. 161-180. ISBN 9789027262745 doi: 10.1075/sibil.57.11hof

Abstract/Summary

Bilingualism is reported to re-structure executive control networks, but it remains unknown which aspects of the bilingual experience cause this modulation. This study explores the impact of three code-switching types on executive functions: (1) alternation, (2) insertion, and (3) dense code-switching or congruent lexicalization. Current models hypothesize that different code-switching types challenge different aspects of the executive system because they vary in the extent and scope of language separation. Two groups of German-English bilinguals differing in dense code-switching frequency participated in a flanker task under conditions varying in degree of trial-mixing and resulting demands to conflict monitoring. Bilinguals engaging in more dense code-switching showed inhibitory advantages in the condition requiring most conflict monitoring. Moreover, dense code-switching frequency correlated positively with monitoring skills. This suggests that dense code-switching is a key experience shaping bilinguals’ executive functioning and highlights the importance of controlling for participants’ code-switching habits in bilingualism research.

Item Type	Book or Report Section
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/90551
Item Type	Book or Report Section
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > School of Literature and Languages > English Language and Applied Linguistics
Publisher	John Benjamins
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