Zhang Haoyun, Diaz Michele T, Guo Taomei, Kroll Judith F
Pennsylvania State University, United States.
Beijing Normal University, China.
Brain Lang. 2021 Dec;223:105043. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105043. Epub 2021 Nov 3.
When bilinguals switch languages they regulate the more dominant language to enable spoken production in the less dominant language. How do they engage cognitive control to accomplish regulation? We examined this issue by comparing the consequences of training on language switching in two different contexts. Chinese-English bilinguals were immersed in English (L2) while studying abroad (this study) or in Chinese (L1) in their native language environment (Zhang et al., 2015). In each study, participants performed the AX-CPT task while EEG was recorded and were then trained on language switching. While Zhang et al. found that training enhanced proactive control in the L1 context, there were no effects of training under L2 immersion conditions. Critically, L2 immersed bilinguals revealed enhanced proactive control at pre-test and greater L1 inhibition on language switching relative to L1 immersed bilinguals. We hypothesize that L2 immersion creates a natural training context that increases reliance on proactive control to enable regulation of the L1.
双语者在切换语言时，会对占主导地位的语言进行调控，以便能用不太占主导地位的语言进行口语表达。他们是如何运用认知控制来实现调控的呢？我们通过比较在两种不同情境下语言切换训练的结果来研究这个问题。中英双语者在国外学习时沉浸于英语（第二语言）环境（本研究），或在其母语环境中沉浸于中文（第一语言）环境（Zhang等人，2015）。在每项研究中，参与者在进行AX-CPT任务时记录脑电图，然后接受语言切换训练。虽然Zhang等人发现训练增强了第一语言环境中的主动控制，但在第二语言沉浸式条件下训练没有效果。关键的是，相对于沉浸于第一语言的双语者，沉浸于第二语言的双语者在预测试时表现出增强的主动控制，并且在语言切换时对第一语言有更强的抑制作用。我们推测，第二语言沉浸式环境创造了一个自然的训练情境，增加了对主动控制的依赖，从而实现对第一语言的调控。
