The influence of short-term language-switching training on the plasticity of the cognitive control mechanism in bilingual word production

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 2115-2128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Wu ◽  
Chunyan Kang ◽  
Fengyang Ma ◽  
Xiaoyi Gao ◽  
Taomei Guo
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Control Mechanism ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Language Switching ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Language Mapping ◽  
Target Languages

This study examined the effect of short-term language-switching training on the cognitive control mechanism in bilingual word production. In two experiments, two groups of relatively proficient but unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals performed a cued picture-naming task, in which they switched between their two languages. On two consecutive days, the participants took part in four sessions. The same procedure was employed on 2 days in Experiment 1, whereas the cue-language mapping was reversed on Day 2 in Experiment 2. In both experiments, picture naming in the dominant language (L1, Chinese) was slower than that in the weaker second language (L2, English) in all sessions. In addition, the reversed language dominance effect was enhanced with training, suggesting that training proactively increases the amount of inhibition of the dominant L1 at the global level. Furthermore, switching costs in the L1 were reduced with training in Experiment 1, but not in Experiment 2. These results indicate that language-switching training improves the efficiency of reactively exerting inhibitory control over the dominant L1 at the local level. However, when a cue matches with different target languages, the effect of training is absent at the local level. These findings reveal the plasticity and complexity of the cognitive control mechanism as a function of bilingual experience, particularly in language switching.

The plasticity of lexical selection mechanism in word production: ERP evidence from short-term language switching training in unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHUNYAN KANG ◽  
FENGYANG MA ◽  
TAOMEI GUO
Keyword(s):  
Naming Task ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Selection Mechanism ◽  
Lexical Selection ◽  
Language Switching ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Experimental Group

The present study examined the plasticity of the lexical selection mechanism in bilingual word production by training a group of unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals with a language switching task. The experimental group received an 8-day language switching training, while the control group received no training. Before and after training, the behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) data of both groups in a cued picture naming task were collected. ERP results revealed a training effect such that after training, the N2 peak latency in cue-locked ERPs was shortened only in the experimental group. These results suggest that short-term language switching experience could improve the efficiency to establish the target language task schema, and that the language control mechanism of word production in unbalanced bilinguals could be modulated by language switching experience.

scholarly journals Comparing the cognate effect in spoken and written second language word production

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel Muylle ◽  
Eva Van Assche ◽  
Robert Hartsuiker
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Language Production ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Error Pattern ◽  
Underlying Processes

Cognates – words that share form and meaning between languages – are processed faster than control words. However, it is unclear whether this effect is merely lexical (i.e., central) in nature, or whether it cascades to phonological/orthographic (i.e., peripheral) processes. This study compared the cognate effect in spoken and typewritten production, which share central, but not peripheral processes. We inquired whether this effect is present in typewriting, and if so, whether its magnitude is similar to spoken production. Dutch-English bilinguals performed either a spoken or written picture naming task in English; picture names were either Dutch-English cognates or control words. Cognates were named faster than controls and there was no cognate-by-modality interaction. Additionally, there was a similar error pattern in both modalities. These results suggest that common underlying processes are responsible for the cognate effect in spoken and written language production, and thus a central locus of the cognate effect.

scholarly journals Links Between Short-Term Memory and Word Retrieval in Aphasia

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1S) ◽  
pp. 379-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Minkina ◽  
Nadine Martin ◽  
Kristie A. Spencer ◽  
Diane L. Kendall
Keyword(s):  
Word Pair ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Word Retrieval ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Retrieval Errors ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Repetition Task

Purpose This study explored the relationship between anomia and verbal short-term memory (STM) in the context of an interactive activation language processing model. Method Twenty-four individuals with aphasia and reduced STM spans (i.e., impaired immediate serial recall of words) completed a picture-naming task and a word pair repetition task (a measure of verbal STM). Correlations between verbal STM and word retrieval errors made on the picture-naming task were examined. Results A significant positive correlation between naming accuracy and verbal span length was found. More intricate verbal STM analyses examined the relationship between picture-naming error types (i.e., semantic vs. phonological) and 2 measures of verbal STM: (a) location of errors on the word pair repetition task and (b) imageability and frequency effects on the word pair repetition task. Results indicated that, as phonological word retrieval errors (relative to semantic) increase, bias toward correct repetition of high-imageability words increases. Conclusions Results suggest that word retrieval and verbal STM tasks likely rely on a partially shared temporary linguistic activation process.

Using whole-word production measures to determine the influence of phonotactic probability and neighborhood density on bilingual speech production

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skott E. Freedman ◽  
Jessica A. Barlow
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Neighborhood Density ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Phonotactic Probability ◽  
Whole Word ◽  
Phonological Complexity

Numerous lexical and sublexical factors have been reported to influence speech production in monolinguals (Storkel, 2001; Vitevitch, 2002); however, whole-word production analyses have rarely been used to measure such influences. The present study investigated the effects of phonotactic probability and neighborhood density on bilingual speech production using whole-word production measures (Ingram, 2002). Five typically developing English–Spanish bilingual children were administered a picture-naming task in English and Spanish in which stimuli varied in sublexical and lexical parameters. Their English and Spanish productions were compared with those of five age-matched monolingual English- and Spanish-speaking children, respectively. No differences were found between bilinguals and monolinguals in the respective languages; however, bilinguals evidenced greater phonological complexity in Spanish than English on words with low phonotactic probability and low neighborhood density. Whole-word approximation remained similar between languages. Findings are interpreted in the context of crosslinguistic influences of sublexical and lexical factors on speech production.

scholarly journals Time Course of Evoked-potential Changes in Different Forms of Anomia in Aphasia

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 1499-1510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Laganaro ◽  
Stéphanie Morand ◽  
Armin Schnider
Keyword(s):  
Picture Naming ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Time Windows ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Early Event ◽  
Lexical Semantic

Impaired word production after brain damage can be due to impairment at lexical–semantic or at lexical–phonological levels of word encoding. These processes are thought to involve different brain regions and to have different time courses. The present study investigated the time course of electrophysiological correlates of anomia in 16 aphasic speakers, divided in two subgroups according to their anomic pattern (8 with lexical–semantic impairment and 8 with lexical–phonological impairment), in comparison to 16 healthy control subjects performing the same picture naming task. Differences in amplitudes and in topographic maps between groups were differently distributed when the whole heterogeneous group of aphasic patients was compared to the control group and when the two more homogeneous subgroups of anomic patients were analyzed. The entire aphasic group expressed different waveforms and topographic patterns than the control group starting about 100 msec after picture presentation. When two subgroups of aphasic patients are considered according to the underlying cognitive impairment, early event-related potential (ERP) abnormalities (100–250 msec) appeared only in the lexical–semantic subgroup, whereas later ERP abnormalities (300–450 msec) occurred only in the lexical–phonological subgroup. These results indicate that the time windows of ERP abnormalities vary depending on the underlying anomic impairment. Moreover, the findings give support to current hypotheses on the time course of processes involved in word production during picture naming.

scholarly journals Task-Induced Functional Connectivity of Picture Naming in Healthy Aging: The Impacts of Age and Task Complexity

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-184
Author(s):  
Perrine Ferré ◽  
Julien Jarret ◽  
Simona Maria Brambati ◽  
Pierre Bellec ◽  
Yves Joanette
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Task Demand ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Brain ◽  
And Task

The topological organization of the brain, governed by the capacity of brain regions to synchronize their activity, allows for cost-effective performance during everyday cognitive activity. Functional connectivity is an fMRI method deemed task-specific and demand-dependent. Although the brain undergoes significant changes during healthy aging, conceptual knowledge and word-production accuracy are generally preserved. The exploration of task-induced functional connectivity patterns during active picture naming may thus provide additional information about healthy functional cerebral mechanisms that are specifically adapted to the cognitive activity at hand. The goal of this study is to assess and describe age-related differences in functional connectivity during an overt picture-naming task, as well as to compare age-related differences under complex task demand, defined by lexical frequency. Results suggest both age-specific and task-specific mechanisms. In the context of preserved behavioral performance in a picture-naming task, older adults show a complex array of differences in functional connectivity architecture, including both increases and decreases. In brief, there is increased segregation and specialization of regions that are classically assigned to naming processes. Results also expand on previous word-production studies and suggest that motor regions are particularly subject to age-related differences. This study also provides the first indication that intrinsic task demand, as manipulated by lexical frequency, interacts little with the relationship between age and functional connectivity. Together, these findings confirm the value of task-induced functional connectivity analysis in revealing the brain organization that subserves task performance during healthy aging.

scholarly journals Cognitive Control and Bilingualism: The Bilingual Advantage Through the Lens of Dimensional Overlap

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melodie Bellegarda ◽  
Pedro Macizo
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Incorrect Response ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Response Level

Past research shows that the bilingual experience may enhance cognitive executive function. In this experiment, we evaluated cognitive control in bilinguals relative to monolinguals by using a dimensional overlap model to predict performance in a task composed of Stroop and Simon stimuli. A group of 24 Spanish monolinguals and 24 bilinguals with differing first languages and all having Spanish as a second language (L2) did a picture naming task and a task composed of Stroop and Simon stimuli, where the effect of different overlap conditions (spatial/color) between stimuli and responses were examined. The tasks were performed in Spanish for both groups and performance was indexed with behavioral and electrophysiological measures. We hypothesized that the bilinguals’ daily language practice in L2 reflected overlap conditions similar to the Simon task. Both naming a picture in L2 and the Simon task would involve conflict at the response level. L2 picture naming entails interference between two potential oral responses, to name in L2 vs. L1 (correct vs. incorrect responses, respectively). Similarly, incongruent stimuli in the Simon task produce interference because the irrelevant dimension (spatial location) overlap with an incorrect response. In contrast, the manual Stroop task involves a different type of conflict between two overlapping stimulus dimensions (the ink color and the color meaning). We predicted for these reasons a superior performance in Simon tasks over Stroop tasks for bilinguals, while monolinguals were expected to have a similar performance in both tasks. We also expected to see a correlation between the performance on the picture naming task and the Simon task in bilinguals. However, the behavioral results did not confirm these hypotheses. In fact, both groups had similar congruency effects as measured by reaction times and error rates, and there was no correlation between the picture naming and Simon task in bilinguals. Despite this, the electrophysiological data suggested a relationship between the picture naming task and the P300 congruency effect in bilinguals. Our findings provide insights into the neurocognitive bases of language and serve as a research avenue for language behaviors in bilinguals.

scholarly journals Contributions of nonlinguistic task-shifting to language control in bilingual children

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
MEGAN GROSS ◽  
MARGARITA KAUSHANSKAYA
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Task Shifting ◽  
Naming Speed ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
English Bilingual ◽  
Language Selection ◽  
Language Control ◽  
Cross Language

Language control, bilinguals’ ability to regulate which language is used, has been posited to recruit domain-general cognitive control. However, studies relating language control and cognitive control have yielded mixed results in adults and have not been undertaken in children. The current study examined the contributions of nonlinguistic task-shifting to language control in Spanish–English bilingual children (ages 5–7) during a cued-switch picture-naming task. Language control was assessed at two levels: (1) cross-language errors, which indexed the success of language selection, and (2) naming speed, which indexed the efficiency of lexical selection. Nonlinguistic task-shifting was a robust predictor of children's cross-language errors, reflecting a role for domain-general cognitive control during language selection. However, task-shifting predicted naming speed only in children's non-dominant language, suggesting a more nuanced role for cognitive control in the efficiency of selecting a particular lexical target.

scholarly journals The central processing bottleneck during word production: Comparing simultaneous interpreters, bilinguals and monolinguals

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 968-985
Author(s):  
LONGJIAO SUI ◽  
HAIDEE KRUGER ◽  
HELEN SLATYER
Keyword(s):  
Picture Naming ◽  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Word Production ◽  
European Language ◽  
Central Processing ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Bilingual Group ◽  
Tone Discrimination ◽  
Asian Language

Are simultaneous interpreters subject to the central processing bottleneck, which can postpone the reaction time and impair the performance of another concurrent task, during word production? Moreover, is there any difference between interpreters, bilinguals and monolinguals in the word production bottleneck? In this study, professional simultaneous interpreters, proficient bilinguals and monolinguals performed a dual task consisting of a picture naming task in sentence context (Task 1) and a pitch tone discrimination task (Task 2). The results show that interpreters are also subject to the central processing bottleneck during word production, and there is no significant difference between the three groups in the duration of the word production bottleneck. Unexpected differences in performance were found between English–Asian language and English–European language pairs within the interpreter group, but not within the bilingual group, showing that European-language interpreters were as fast as monolinguals in lexical access, and faster than Asian-language interpreters and bilinguals.

scholarly journals Language Dominance and Sociolinguistic Experience Are Related to Language Control and Domain-General Monitoring Control: An Investigation in Bilinguals Who Live in a Minority/Majority Sociolinguistic Setting

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruilin Wu ◽  
Esli Struys
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Language Switching ◽  
Response Latencies ◽  
Language Dominance ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Cross Domain ◽  
Switch Costs ◽  
Domain Generality ◽  
Language Control

Bilingual language control in production tasks with language switches is supposed to be linked to domain-general cognitive control. In the present study, we investigated the role of language dominance, measured on a continuous scale, in the relationship between measures of language control elicited through language switching in a picture naming task and non-linguistic cognitive control induced by stimulus-response interference in a Simon task. In our sample of bilinguals who speak both a minority and majority language (language pair of Uyghur-Chinese), the results showed that as bilinguals were more L2-dominant, a pattern of reversed asymmetry switch costs in language control, i.e., larger L2 than L1 switch costs, was observed. Furthermore, the findings showed that recent exposure to the L1 minority language was associated with the change in language switch costs in terms of both response latencies and accuracy rates. This suggests a role for sociolinguistic context in bilingual language control. Concerning cross-domain generality, globally sustained language control was found to be correlated with domain-general monitoring control in response latencies for all bilingual participants. It lends support to the idea that bilinguals tap into monitoring control in the context of language switching. Additionally, the cross-domain overlap was found between two non-equivalent measures (global language control vs. cognitive inhibitory control) in response latencies, specifically for L1-dominant bilinguals. This suggests that language dominance may have an impact on cross-domain generality in language-switching processes.

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