Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension
In the present study, we set out to examine the effect of background noise on bilingual language comprehension between a person’s first language (L1) and second language (L2). Language control systems seem to systematically engage in bilingual language production, as evidenced by the presence of swi...
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| Format: | Article |
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/60 |
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| author | Lu Jiao Zejun Wang Xiaoting Duan Yingying Yu Cong Liu |
| author_facet | Lu Jiao Zejun Wang Xiaoting Duan Yingying Yu Cong Liu |
| author_sort | Lu Jiao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the present study, we set out to examine the effect of background noise on bilingual language comprehension between a person’s first language (L1) and second language (L2). Language control systems seem to systematically engage in bilingual language production, as evidenced by the presence of switch costs with slower responses to switch trials than repeat trials. However, this systematic engagement does not uniformly apply to comprehension, as the involvement of language control in bilingual comprehension may vary depending on external contexts. In two experiments, we investigated how background noise influenced language switching in comprehension for unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals. Overall, when comprehending words from two languages, participants experienced significant language switch costs across all conditions, but smaller switch costs were observed in the noise condition than in the quiet condition. However, the symmetrical patterns of switch costs were not modulated by background noise. This is the first study that supports the flexibility of bilingual language comprehension depending on the presence of background noise, expanding the adaptive control hypothesis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e2290c1e898e45368744501cd31634c9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e2290c1e898e45368744501cd31634c92025-01-24T13:22:46ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-01-011516010.3390/bs15010060Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language ComprehensionLu Jiao0Zejun Wang1Xiaoting Duan2Yingying Yu3Cong Liu4Department of Psychology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaCenter for Psychological Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, ChinaIn the present study, we set out to examine the effect of background noise on bilingual language comprehension between a person’s first language (L1) and second language (L2). Language control systems seem to systematically engage in bilingual language production, as evidenced by the presence of switch costs with slower responses to switch trials than repeat trials. However, this systematic engagement does not uniformly apply to comprehension, as the involvement of language control in bilingual comprehension may vary depending on external contexts. In two experiments, we investigated how background noise influenced language switching in comprehension for unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals. Overall, when comprehending words from two languages, participants experienced significant language switch costs across all conditions, but smaller switch costs were observed in the noise condition than in the quiet condition. However, the symmetrical patterns of switch costs were not modulated by background noise. This is the first study that supports the flexibility of bilingual language comprehension depending on the presence of background noise, expanding the adaptive control hypothesis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/60bilinguallanguage switchinglanguage comprehensionbackground noise |
| spellingShingle | Lu Jiao Zejun Wang Xiaoting Duan Yingying Yu Cong Liu Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension Behavioral Sciences bilingual language switching language comprehension background noise |
| title | Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension |
| title_full | Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension |
| title_fullStr | Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension |
| title_full_unstemmed | Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension |
| title_short | Linking Context to Language Switching: Effects of Background Noise on Bilingual Language Comprehension |
| title_sort | linking context to language switching effects of background noise on bilingual language comprehension |
| topic | bilingual language switching language comprehension background noise |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/60 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lujiao linkingcontexttolanguageswitchingeffectsofbackgroundnoiseonbilinguallanguagecomprehension AT zejunwang linkingcontexttolanguageswitchingeffectsofbackgroundnoiseonbilinguallanguagecomprehension AT xiaotingduan linkingcontexttolanguageswitchingeffectsofbackgroundnoiseonbilinguallanguagecomprehension AT yingyingyu linkingcontexttolanguageswitchingeffectsofbackgroundnoiseonbilinguallanguagecomprehension AT congliu linkingcontexttolanguageswitchingeffectsofbackgroundnoiseonbilinguallanguagecomprehension |