Sergio Miguel Pereira Soares
Biographic Data
| ID | 2425463 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sergio Miguel Pereira Soares |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sergio Miguel Pereira |
| FAMILY NAME | Soares |
| SIGNATURE | SOARES S M P |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Konstanz |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1709-6059 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
What bilingualism demands
Bilingualism research sits at the intersection of linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and psychology, yet these disciplines often operate in relative isolation, limiting explanatory power and theoretical progress. This paper argues that deeper, more purposeful cross-fertilization among these fields is both possible and necessary to address some of the most pressing questions in the study of bilingualism. After establishing a shared foundation th…
How bilingualism influences language processing in the developing brain
Early immersive bilinguals develop like monolinguals, but neural responses differ. • Early bilingual experience shapes brain structures and functions. • Neural adaptation correlates with L2 learning experience, proficiency and exposure. • Bilinguals match monolinguals’ executive function via additional neural recruitment. Growing up bilingual has a remarkable influence on language processing and brain development in children, yet a systematic neu…
The unpredictable role of language distance in bilingual cognition
It has been argued that under certain conditions bilingualism can confer adaptations to the human mind and brain. Among the possible moderators of such adaptations, language distance occupies a distinctly ambiguous role. Equally unclear is the directionality of the effect, as juggling different languages may become more or less cognitively costly depending on how (dis)similar competing alternatives are. If different language pairings entail that …
Different variables hold varying significance from childhood to adolescence
The current study examined the comprehension and production of classifiers, case marking, and morphological passive structures among 414 child Japanese heritage speakers (mean age = 10.01 years; range = 4.02 – 18.18). Focusing on individual differences, we extracted latent experiential factors via the Q-BEx questionnaire (De Cat, Kašćelan, Prévost, Serratrice, Tuller, Unsworth, & The Q.-Be Consortium, 2022), which were then used to predict knowle…
Individual differences matter in heritage language bilingual processing
The present study investigated if/how individual differences in heritage language (HL) experience modulate gender agreement processing among Spanish heritage speakers (HSs). We reanalyzed the data from Luque and colleagues (2023), which reported an aggregate biphasic N400–P600. The present analysis revealed that sensitivity to morphological markedness was positively modulated by HL proficiency and exposure/use. Higher proficiency led to increased…
Hippocampal adaptations in Mild Cognitive Impairment patients are modulated by bilingual language experiences
Bilingualism has been shown to contribute to increased resilience against cognitive aging. One of the key brain structures linked to memory and dementia symptom onset, the hippocampus, has been observed to adapt in response to bilingual experience – at least in healthy individuals. However, in the context of neurodegenerative pathology, it is yet unclear what role previous bilingual experience might have in terms of sustaining integrity of this s…
Bilectal Exposure Modulates Neural Signatures to Conflicting Grammatical Properties
The current study investigated gender (control) and number (target) agreement processing in Northern and non-Northern Norwegians living in Northern Norway. Participants varied in exposure to Northern Norwegian (NN) dialect(s), where number marking differs from most other Norwegian dialects. In a comprehension task involving reading NN dialect writing, P600 effects for number agreement were significantly affected by NN exposure. The more exposure …
Monolingual comparative normativity in bilingualism research is out of “ control ”
Herein, we contextualize, problematize, and offer some insights for moving beyond the problem of monolingual comparative normativity in (psycho) linguistic research on bilingualism. We argue that, in the vast majority of cases, juxtaposing (functional) monolinguals to bilinguals fails to offer what the comparison is supposedly intended to do: meet the standards of empirical control in line with the scientific method. Instead, the default nature o…
Riding the (brain) waves! Using neural oscillations to inform bilingualism research – Addendum
An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the ‘Save PDF’ action button
On trade-offs in bilingualism and moving beyond the Stacking the Deck fallacy
Despite a meteoric rise, results in the cognitive science of bilingualism present with significant inconsistency. In parallel, there is a striking absence of an ecologically valid theory within bilingualism research. How should one interpret the totality of available data that can pull in opposing directions? To proceed, we need to identify which practices impede progression. Hitherto, we bring to the fore an undiscussed practice, contextualizing…
Riding the (brain) waves! Using neural oscillations to inform bilingualism research
The study of the brains’ oscillatory activity has been a standard technique to gain insights into human neurocognition for a relatively long time. However, as a complementary analysis to ERPs, only very recently has it been utilized to study bilingualism and its neural underpinnings. Here, we provide a theoretical and methodological starter for scientists in the (psycho)linguistics and neurocognition of bilingualism field(s) to understand the bas…
The elusive impact of L2 immersion on translation priming
A growing consensus sees the bilingual lexicon as an integrated, nonselective system. However, the way bilingual experience shapes the architecture and functioning of the lexicon is not well understood. This study investigates bilingual lexical-semantic representation and processing employing written translation priming. We focus on the role of active exposure to and use of the second language (L2)—primarily operationalized as immersion. We teste…
Double-Number Marking Matters for Both L1 and L2 Processing of Nonlocal Agreement Similarly
The present study uses event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine nonlocal agreement processing between native (L1) English speakers and Chinese–English second language (L2) learners, whose L1 lacks number agreement. We manipulated number marking with determiners ( the vs. that/these ) to see how determiner-specification influences both native and nonnative processing downstream for verbal number agreement. Behavioral and ERP results suggest both…
Experience-based individual differences modulate language, mind and brain outcomes in multilinguals
You Can’t Fix What Is Not Broken
In this article, we discuss the perceptions of researchers who work on heritage language bilingualism (HLB), educators who teach heritage speakers (HSs), and, crucially, HSs themselves regarding the nature of bilingualism in general as well as HLB specifically. Despite the fact that all groups are invested in HLB and that researchers and educators tend to have a similar basic understanding of HLB development and share common goals regarding herit…
Experimental evidence for the interpretation of definite plural articles as markers of genericity – How Italian can help
In the Romance languages, definite plural articles (e.g., le rane ‘the frogs’) are generally ambiguous between a generic and a specific interpretation, and speakers must reconstruct the intended interpretation through the linguistic or extra-linguistic context. Following the “polar bear” paradigm implemented in Czypionka & Kupisch (2019)’s investigation on German, the goal of the present study is to check the suitability of their test on article …
Gender attraction in sentence comprehension
Agreement attraction, where ungrammatical sentences are perceived as grammatical (e.g., *The key to the cabinets were rusty), has been influential in motivating models of memory access during language comprehension. It is contested, however, whether such effects arise due to a faulty representation of relevant morphosyntactic features, or as a result of memory retrieval. Existing studies of agreement attraction in comprehension have largely been …
On the phantom-like appearance of bilingualism effects on neurocognition
Numerous studies have argued that bilingualism has effects on cognitive functions. Recently, in light of increasingly mixed empirical results, this claim has been challenged. One might ponder if there is enough evidence to justify a cessation to future research on the topic or, alternatively, how the field could proceed to better understand the phantom-like appearance of bilingual effects. Herein, we attempt to frame this appearance at the crossr…
Examining the Contribution of Markedness to the L2 Processing of Spanish Person Agreement
We used event‐related potentials to investigate how markedness impacts person agreement in English‐speaking learners of L2‐Spanish. Markedness was examined by probing agreement with both first‐person (marked) and third‐person (unmarked) subjects. Agreement was manipulated by crossing first‐person subjects with third‐person verbs and vice versa. Native speakers showed a P600 for both errors, larger for “first‐person subject + third‐person verb” vi…
Determinants of bilingualism predict dynamic changes in resting state EEG oscillations
This study uses resting state EEG data from 103 bilinguals to understand how determinants of bilingualism may reshape the mind/brain. Participants completed the LSBQ, which quantifies language use and crucially the division of labor of dual-language use in diverse activities and settings over the lifespan. We hypothesized correlations between the degree of active bilingualism with power of neural oscillations in specific frequency bands. Moreover…
Cognitive states in third language acquisition and beyond
Preview this article: Cognitive states in third language acquisition and beyond, Page 1 of 1 /docserver/preview/fulltext/lab.20080.per-1.gif
Bilectal Exposure Modulates Neural Signatures to Conflicting Grammatical Properties
The current study investigated gender (control) and number (target) agreement processing in Northern and non-Northern Norwegians living in Northern Norway. Participants varied in exposure to Northern Norwegian (NN) dialect(s), where number marking differs from most other Norwegian dialects. In a comprehension task involving reading NN dialect writing, P600 effects for number agreement were significantly affected by NN exposure. The more exposure …
You Can’t Fix What Is Not Broken
In this article, we discuss the perceptions of researchers who work on heritage language bilingualism (HLB), educators who teach heritage speakers (HSs), and, crucially, HSs themselves regarding the nature of bilingualism in general as well as HLB specifically. Despite the fact that all groups are invested in HLB and that researchers and educators tend to have a similar basic understanding of HLB development and share common goals regarding herit…
Experimental evidence for the interpretation of definite plural articles as markers of genericity – How Italian can help
In the Romance languages, definite plural articles (e.g., le rane ‘the frogs’) are generally ambiguous between a generic and a specific interpretation, and speakers must reconstruct the intended interpretation through the linguistic or extra-linguistic context. Following the “polar bear” paradigm implemented in Czypionka & Kupisch (2019)’s investigation on German, the goal of the present study is to check the suitability of their test on article …
Gender attraction in sentence comprehension
Agreement attraction, where ungrammatical sentences are perceived as grammatical (e.g., *The key to the cabinets were rusty), has been influential in motivating models of memory access during language comprehension. It is contested, however, whether such effects arise due to a faulty representation of relevant morphosyntactic features, or as a result of memory retrieval. Existing studies of agreement attraction in comprehension have largely been …
On the phantom-like appearance of bilingualism effects on neurocognition
Numerous studies have argued that bilingualism has effects on cognitive functions. Recently, in light of increasingly mixed empirical results, this claim has been challenged. One might ponder if there is enough evidence to justify a cessation to future research on the topic or, alternatively, how the field could proceed to better understand the phantom-like appearance of bilingual effects. Herein, we attempt to frame this appearance at the crossr…
Examining the Contribution of Markedness to the L2 Processing of Spanish Person Agreement
We used event‐related potentials to investigate how markedness impacts person agreement in English‐speaking learners of L2‐Spanish. Markedness was examined by probing agreement with both first‐person (marked) and third‐person (unmarked) subjects. Agreement was manipulated by crossing first‐person subjects with third‐person verbs and vice versa. Native speakers showed a P600 for both errors, larger for “first‐person subject + third‐person verb” vi…
Determinants of bilingualism predict dynamic changes in resting state EEG oscillations
This study uses resting state EEG data from 103 bilinguals to understand how determinants of bilingualism may reshape the mind/brain. Participants completed the LSBQ, which quantifies language use and crucially the division of labor of dual-language use in diverse activities and settings over the lifespan. We hypothesized correlations between the degree of active bilingualism with power of neural oscillations in specific frequency bands. Moreover…
Cognitive states in third language acquisition and beyond
Preview this article: Cognitive states in third language acquisition and beyond, Page 1 of 1 /docserver/preview/fulltext/lab.20080.per-1.gif
Double-Number Marking Matters for Both L1 and L2 Processing of Nonlocal Agreement Similarly
The present study uses event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine nonlocal agreement processing between native (L1) English speakers and Chinese–English second language (L2) learners, whose L1 lacks number agreement. We manipulated number marking with determiners ( the vs. that/these ) to see how determiner-specification influences both native and nonnative processing downstream for verbal number agreement. Behavioral and ERP results suggest both…
Experience-based individual differences modulate language, mind and brain outcomes in multilinguals
Monolingual comparative normativity in bilingualism research is out of “ control ”
Herein, we contextualize, problematize, and offer some insights for moving beyond the problem of monolingual comparative normativity in (psycho) linguistic research on bilingualism. We argue that, in the vast majority of cases, juxtaposing (functional) monolinguals to bilinguals fails to offer what the comparison is supposedly intended to do: meet the standards of empirical control in line with the scientific method. Instead, the default nature o…
Riding the (brain) waves! Using neural oscillations to inform bilingualism research – Addendum
An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the ‘Save PDF’ action button
On trade-offs in bilingualism and moving beyond the Stacking the Deck fallacy
Despite a meteoric rise, results in the cognitive science of bilingualism present with significant inconsistency. In parallel, there is a striking absence of an ecologically valid theory within bilingualism research. How should one interpret the totality of available data that can pull in opposing directions? To proceed, we need to identify which practices impede progression. Hitherto, we bring to the fore an undiscussed practice, contextualizing…
Riding the (brain) waves! Using neural oscillations to inform bilingualism research
The study of the brains’ oscillatory activity has been a standard technique to gain insights into human neurocognition for a relatively long time. However, as a complementary analysis to ERPs, only very recently has it been utilized to study bilingualism and its neural underpinnings. Here, we provide a theoretical and methodological starter for scientists in the (psycho)linguistics and neurocognition of bilingualism field(s) to understand the bas…
The elusive impact of L2 immersion on translation priming
A growing consensus sees the bilingual lexicon as an integrated, nonselective system. However, the way bilingual experience shapes the architecture and functioning of the lexicon is not well understood. This study investigates bilingual lexical-semantic representation and processing employing written translation priming. We focus on the role of active exposure to and use of the second language (L2)—primarily operationalized as immersion. We teste…
Hippocampal adaptations in Mild Cognitive Impairment patients are modulated by bilingual language experiences
Bilingualism has been shown to contribute to increased resilience against cognitive aging. One of the key brain structures linked to memory and dementia symptom onset, the hippocampus, has been observed to adapt in response to bilingual experience – at least in healthy individuals. However, in the context of neurodegenerative pathology, it is yet unclear what role previous bilingual experience might have in terms of sustaining integrity of this s…
Bilectal Exposure Modulates Neural Signatures to Conflicting Grammatical Properties
The current study investigated gender (control) and number (target) agreement processing in Northern and non-Northern Norwegians living in Northern Norway. Participants varied in exposure to Northern Norwegian (NN) dialect(s), where number marking differs from most other Norwegian dialects. In a comprehension task involving reading NN dialect writing, P600 effects for number agreement were significantly affected by NN exposure. The more exposure …
The unpredictable role of language distance in bilingual cognition
It has been argued that under certain conditions bilingualism can confer adaptations to the human mind and brain. Among the possible moderators of such adaptations, language distance occupies a distinctly ambiguous role. Equally unclear is the directionality of the effect, as juggling different languages may become more or less cognitively costly depending on how (dis)similar competing alternatives are. If different language pairings entail that …
Different variables hold varying significance from childhood to adolescence
The current study examined the comprehension and production of classifiers, case marking, and morphological passive structures among 414 child Japanese heritage speakers (mean age = 10.01 years; range = 4.02 – 18.18). Focusing on individual differences, we extracted latent experiential factors via the Q-BEx questionnaire (De Cat, Kašćelan, Prévost, Serratrice, Tuller, Unsworth, & The Q.-Be Consortium, 2022), which were then used to predict knowle…
Individual differences matter in heritage language bilingual processing
The present study investigated if/how individual differences in heritage language (HL) experience modulate gender agreement processing among Spanish heritage speakers (HSs). We reanalyzed the data from Luque and colleagues (2023), which reported an aggregate biphasic N400–P600. The present analysis revealed that sensitivity to morphological markedness was positively modulated by HL proficiency and exposure/use. Higher proficiency led to increased…
What bilingualism demands
Bilingualism research sits at the intersection of linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and psychology, yet these disciplines often operate in relative isolation, limiting explanatory power and theoretical progress. This paper argues that deeper, more purposeful cross-fertilization among these fields is both possible and necessary to address some of the most pressing questions in the study of bilingualism. After establishing a shared foundation th…
How bilingualism influences language processing in the developing brain
Early immersive bilinguals develop like monolinguals, but neural responses differ. • Early bilingual experience shapes brain structures and functions. • Neural adaptation correlates with L2 learning experience, proficiency and exposure. • Bilinguals match monolinguals’ executive function via additional neural recruitment. Growing up bilingual has a remarkable influence on language processing and brain development in children, yet a systematic neu…
Psychology (18 works) · Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism (16 works) · Neuroscience of multilingualism (13 works) · Linguistics (12 works) · Cognitive psychology (11 works) · Cognition (10 works) · Computer Science (9 works) · Language Development and Disorders (8 works) · Reading and Literacy Development (8 works) · Neuroscience (7 works)