The effects of language switching experience and acute stress on bilingual advantages in cognitive flexibility
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15087504 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zhao Yao (0000-0003-3016-9934, Xi'an Jiaotong University, corresponding author), Yu Chai (0000-0001-8473-0630, Xi'an Jiaotong University), Rong Zhao (0000-0003-1546-1312, Xi'an Jiaotong University), Fei Wang (0000-0003-0860-6317, Xi'an Jiaotong University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 863-882 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Bilingualism (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1367-0069 • E-ISSN: 1756-6878 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/13670069241253364 |
| OpenAlex | W4399138618 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 46 |
Aims: This study aimed to investigate how bilingual advantages in cognitive flexibility were modulated by language-use parameters (e.g., language switching experience) and psychological factors (e.g., acute stress). Design/methodology: Chinese-English unbalanced bilinguals with a high or low amount of language switching experience (HLS or LLS bilinguals) performed a cued color-shape switching task in stress-free condition (Experiment 1) or in acute stress condition induced by the Trier Social Stress Test (Experiment 2). Switching and mixing costs were calculated to denote two aspects of cognitive flexibility: transient and sustained switching abilities, respectively. Data and analysis: Differences in switching and mixing costs between HLS and LLS bilinguals were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The predictive relationship between language switching experience and cognitive flexibility was examined using hierarchical regression models. The role of acute stress in the dynamics was tested by means of independent samples t -tests in a cross-analysis of Experiments 1 and 2. Findings/conclusions: HLS and LLS bilinguals showed similar switching and mixing costs in the stress-free condition, but in the acute stress condition, HLS bilinguals showed lower switching costs than LLS bilinguals. The result of cross-experimental analysis further revealed that higher switching costs were demanded in LLS bilinguals under acute stress. These findings suggest that language switching experience specifically influences transient switching ability under acute stress. Originality: This study was a first attempt to provide evidence that psychological stress may be a crucial determinant in exploring the theoretical implications of cognitive control in bilingualism. Significance: Our findings suggest that bilingual advantages in cognitive flexibility are conditional, shedding light on the ongoing debate about the ambiguous relationship between language experience and cognitive control in bilinguals
Code-switching · Cognition · Cognitive flexibility · Cognitive psychology · Linguistics · Neuroscience of multilingualism · Mathematics · Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism · Neuroscience · Philosophy · Psychology
Self-Assessment of Individual Differences in Language Switching
Emerging bilingualism
The stress appraisal measure (SAM)
A bilingual advantage in task switching
Disparate bilingual experiences modulate task-switching advantages
Anxiety and cognitive performance
Language control in bilinguals
The influence of language-switching experience on the bilingual executive control advantage
Bilingual advantages in executive functioning either do not exist or are restricted to very specific and undetermined circumstances
Not All Bilinguals Are the Same
Good Language-Switchers are Good Task-Switchers
Cognitive control and lexical access in younger and older bilinguals.
What did Simon say? Revisiting the bilingual advantage
The ‘Trier Social Stress Test’ – A Tool for Investigating Psychobiological Stress Responses in a Laboratory Setting
Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1
Executive Functions
The role of cognitive control in bilingual language comprehension
Does language switching behavior rely on general executive functions
How does bilingualism modify cognitive function? Attention to the mechanism
Stress effects on bilingual language professionals' performance
Bilinguals’ and monolinguals’ performance on a non-verbal cognitive control task
特质焦虑对急性心理性应激反应的预测
The effects of foreign language anxiety, nervousness and cognitive load on foreign language lying
Depression—Clinical, Experimental, and Theoretical Aspects
Is bilingualism associated with enhanced executive functioning in adults? A meta-analytic review
Evaluating student interpreters' stress and coping strategies
Stress experienced by Polish sworn translators and interpreters
Analysis of speech rhythm and heart rate as indicators of stress on student interpreters
Acute Stressors and Cortisol Responses
Learning styles, motivation and cognitive flexibility in interpreter training
Foreign Language Anxiety and Student Interpreters' Learning Outcomes
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |