DOI: 10.5176/2251-1865_CBP18.32
Authors: Taomei Guo, Chunyan Kang, Fengyang Ma
Abstract: The present study investigated the predictive effects of different components of general executive functions on bilingual language control processes. Fifty-four unbalanced Chinese-English bilinguals participated in a cued language switching task, with their event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral data recorded to probe into bilingual language control processes. In addition, their behavioral data during a flanker task, a task-switching task, and an n-back task were collected to tap into three relatively basic executive functions: inhibiting, shifting, and updating, respectively. ANOVA results of the language switching task showed that compared to non-switch trials, picture naming in switch trials was significantly slower and less accurate, and elicited a larger stimulus-locked N2 component. These switch effects indicate that inhibition on the non-target language occurs during the lexical selection phase. Sequential regression analyses showed that only the flanker effect robustly predicted the variability of the stimulus-locked (but not the cue-locked) N2 switch effect. Specifically, smaller flanker effects were associated with larger stimulus-locked N2 switch effects This suggests that better general interference suppression correlates with stronger inhibition exerted to regulate lexical interference from the non-target language. In conclusion, the general inhibition function could predict the intensity of real-time inhibition exerted on the lexical items in the non-target language during bilingual word production.
Keywords:Language control; General executive functions; Inhibition; ERP; Sequential regression analysis; Bilingualism
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