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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
Published on: November 30, 2018
Structural alignment and its prosocial effects in first and second languages
Loes Abrahams1, Robert J Hartsuiker2, Filip De Fruyt1
1Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract:
The present study examined structural alignment (prepositional object dative and double object dative) and its prosocial effects in Spanish-English bilinguals (English L2) and native English speakers (English L1). A scripted picture description paradigm in which a confederate and participant alternately described pictures was used. L1 and L2 speakers of English displayed comparable levels of structural alignment. In a second phase of the experiment we show that after being exposed to structural alignment by the confederate, L1 but not L2 participants displayed an increase in prosocial behavior as reflected by the time they were willing to help with an extra task. Possible explanations and implications are then discussed.
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