Attention control and ability level in a complex cognitive skill: attention shifting and second-language proficiency.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Psycholinguistics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Bilingualism involves managing two languages, requiring robust cognitive control.
• Proficiency in a second language (L2) is influenced by various cognitive factors.
• Attention control is crucial for complex cognitive tasks and language processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between attention control and second-language proficiency.
• To determine the specificity of attention control's influence on L2 proficiency.
• To explore the implications for second language acquisition and expertise development.

Main Methods:

• Participants: English-French bilinguals with varied French proficiency.
• Proficiency measure: Lexical access efficiency (response time variability) in an animacy judgment task.
• Attention control measure: Task-switching paradigm assessing linguistic shift costs.

Main Results:

• Attention control explained 59% of the variance in L2 proficiency.
• Second-language attention control uniquely accounted for 32% of proficiency variance.
• A significant domain-specific relationship was found between attention control and L2 proficiency.

Conclusions:

• Attention control is a key predictor of second-language proficiency.
• The influence of attention control on L2 proficiency is domain-specific.
• Findings support a cognitive-linguistic approach to language, attention, and expertise.