About this Research Topic
Bilinguals are individuals who speak two languages (i.e., L1 and L2). Extensive research has demonstrated that language processing in bilinguals involves more sophisticated mental operations than that of monolinguals. For instance, when bilinguals read words in L2, they automatically activate translation equivalence in L1 (and the same has been found the other way around), a phenomenon that has been referred to as non-selective lexical access or parallel language activation. While many studies have reported evidence of parallel language activation in bilinguals, the question of how cognitive factors are manifest during this process remains largely unknown: Can bilinguals with high cognitive control abilities ‘shut down’ the non-target language, especially when it is the more dominant language (i.e., L1), when processing the other language? Is this phenomenon contingent to any experimental task (e.g., code-switching) or language-processing context (e.g., interpretation) that engages bilinguals in a particular cognitive mode? How does general, non-linguistic cognitive factors (e.g., attention, memory, emotion) affect language processing in bilinguals? These questions and other related questions are critical to our understanding of language processing in bilinguals. New empirical studies are needed to motivate the development of theories and models in this domain of research.
This Research Topic focuses on how cognitive factors, broadly defined, affect language processing in bilinguals. The goal is to advance our understanding of the exquisite questions in bilingual language processing, such as how bilinguals select the target language and prevent interference from the non-target language during a conversation. Both empirical studies and reviews (including meta-analysis) are welcome. Empirical contributions may use different methodologies including Experimental Psychology (e.g., behavioral measures) and/or neuroimaging approaches, so long that applications of these methods bring new insights into a significant research question (e.g., shared vs. independent neural representations of language system in bilinguals). Any theoretical contributions must put forth a priori testable prediction concerning cognitive variables that affect bilingual processing and/or how. We are interested in bilingual subjects with various levels of language proficiency across the lifespan. Studies on bilinguals with speech disorders or other language impairments will also be considered. It is our aim that this new Research Topic will serve as a platform that integrates different perspectives and novel approaches to investigate the cognitive factors involved in bilingual language processing, and that new insights can be formulated to guide future research.
This Research Topic focuses on how cognitive factors, broadly defined, affect language processing in bilinguals. The goal is to advance our understanding of the exquisite questions in bilingual language processing, such as how bilinguals select the target language and prevent interference from the non-target language during a conversation. Both empirical studies and reviews (including meta-analysis) are welcome. Empirical contributions may use different methodologies including Experimental Psychology (e.g., behavioral measures) and/or neuroimaging approaches, so long that applications of these methods bring new insights into a significant research question (e.g., shared vs. independent neural representations of language system in bilinguals). Any theoretical contributions must put forth a priori testable prediction concerning cognitive variables that affect bilingual processing and/or how. We are interested in bilingual subjects with various levels of language proficiency across the lifespan. Studies on bilinguals with speech disorders or other language impairments will also be considered. It is our aim that this new Research Topic will serve as a platform that integrates different perspectives and novel approaches to investigate the cognitive factors involved in bilingual language processing, and that new insights can be formulated to guide future research.
Keywords: Bilingualism, Language processing, Cognition, Parallel activation, Language control
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
