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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

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Published on: February 26, 2020

Current exposure to a second language modulates bilingual visual word recognition: An EEG study.

D de León Rodríguez¹, M Mouthon¹, J-M Annoni¹

¹Laboratory for Cognitive and Neurological Sciences, Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Science, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.

Neuropsychologia

|December 7, 2021

Summary

Second language (L2) exposure significantly impacts bilingual word recognition. Lower L2 exposure leads to less accurate L2 word processing and altered brain activity, affecting both L1 and L2.

Keywords:

Bilingual word recognition EEG L2 exposure Language mediation

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Last Updated: Oct 10, 2025

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Area of Science:

Psycholinguistics
Cognitive Neuroscience
Second Language Acquisition

Background:

Bilingual word recognition is extensively studied, yet factors like individual differences in second language (L2) exposure remain underexplored.
Understanding how L2 exposure influences bilinguals' processing of words in both their native (L1) and L2 is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

This study investigates the impact of varying levels of L2 exposure on word recognition in highly fluent bilinguals.
It aims to determine if L2 exposure affects behavioral accuracy and neurophysiological responses during word processing in both L1 and L2.

Main Methods:

Highly fluent bilingual participants were divided into groups based on their L2 exposure levels.
A semantic categorization task was employed, recording behavioral responses and electroencephalography (EEG) signals.
Analysis focused on accuracy, reaction times, and specific EEG components (e.g., N1).

Main Results:

Bilinguals with lower L2 exposure demonstrated reduced accuracy in L2 semantic categorization compared to those with higher L2 exposure.
Neurophysiological data revealed that lower L2 exposure was associated with changes in early word recognition processes (N1 component) in both L1 and L2.
These findings challenge models assuming fully non-selective access to bilingual lexicons.

Conclusions:

L2 exposure is a critical factor modulating bilingual word recognition efficiency and underlying neural mechanisms.
The results support the frequency-lag hypothesis, suggesting L2 exposure influences language processing across both languages.
Individual differences in L2 exposure should be considered in models of bilingual language processing.