Reduced language processing automaticity induces weaker emotions in bilinguals regardless of learning context

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Bilingualism Research

Background:

• Growing evidence suggests bilinguals experience diminished emotional reactions in their weaker second language (L2).
• The precise cognitive mechanisms underlying this L2 emotion disadvantage remain unclear.
• Investigating factors like processing automaticity and language use contexts is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the mechanisms behind reduced emotional responses in bilinguals' L2.
• To differentiate the roles of language processing automaticity versus language learning/use contexts.
• To understand how these factors influence emotional reactions in different L2 scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Assessed behavioral emotional reactions in a low-appeal decision-making task (Asian disease problem).
• Study 2: Measured pupil dilation and valence responses to high-appeal narrative video advertisements.
• Compared reactions in the first language (L1) and second language (L2) across tasks.

Main Results:

• Both studies confirmed the L2 emotion disadvantage.
• In decision-making, L2 reactions mirrored L1 reactions under perceptual load.
• Reduced pupil dilation in L2 narratives was linked to less automatic lexical access, not context.

Conclusions:

• Bilinguals possess language-independent emotional representations.
• Emotional information in L2 is processed less automatically, leading to weaker emotional reactions.
• Language processing automaticity is a key factor in the L2 emotion disadvantage.