Symmetries of comprehension-based language switch costs in conflicting versus non-conflicting contexts

• Autores: Cong Liu, Kalinka Timmer, Lu Jiao, Ruiming Wang
• Localización: International Journal of Bilingualism: interdisciplinary studies of multilingual behaviour, ISSN 1367-0069, Vol. 24, Nº. 4, 2020, págs. 588-598
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1177/1367006919848487
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• Resumen

  • Aims:

    The present study aimed to investigate the effect of contexts (i.e., non-conflicting context versus conflicting context) on bilingual language switch costs during language comprehension.

    Methodology:

    Thirty-two unbalance Chinese-English bilinguals completed a modified comprehension-based language-switching task in two contexts. They made a judgement about the colour meaning of the word. In the non-conflicting context all words were presented in white ink, while in the conflicting context the words were printed in an inconsistent ink colour.

    Data and analysis:

    Reaction time and accuracy data were analysed using mixed-effects models.

    Findings/conclusions:

    Results showed that the switch costs were larger in the conflicting context than in the non-conflicting context. Further, in the non-conflicting context an asymmetrical switch cost with larger costs for the second language was observed as compared to symmetrical switch costs in the conflicting context.

    Originality:

    This is the first study that indicates that bilingual comprehension-based language control adapts flexibly depending on the context, just as during bilingual production.

    Significance/implications:

    These findings supported and expanded the classic adaptive control hypothesis.