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Switching-back versus switching-out: Language context reveals a novel aging deficit in proactive bilingual language
Dalia L Garcia1, Tamar H Gollan2
1Joint Doctoral Program in Language and Communicative Disorders, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Cognition
|December 1, 2025
Summary
Young bilinguals use proactive control for language switching, while older bilinguals rely on reactive control. This difference impacts how efficiently they switch between languages, especially in varied contexts.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Bilingualism Research
Background:
- Bilingual language switching involves complex cognitive control mechanisms.
- Aging can impact cognitive control, potentially affecting language switching abilities in bilinguals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how contextual support influences language switching in young and older bilinguals.
- To compare the control strategies employed by different age groups during language switching.
Main Methods:
- Bilingual participants (young and older) performed picture-naming tasks under varying language-biased conditions.
- Reaction times for switching between dominant and non-dominant languages were measured.
Main Results:
- Young bilinguals showed reversed language dominance in no-bias conditions, unlike older bilinguals.
- Young bilinguals switched languages more efficiently than older bilinguals in biased contexts.
- Older bilinguals exhibited greater switch-back costs compared to younger bilinguals.
Conclusions:
- Young bilinguals utilize proactive control (inhibition and activation) for efficient language switching.
- Older bilinguals primarily use reactive control, leading to less efficient switching and greater costs.
- Age-related differences in cognitive control strategies significantly impact bilingual language switching.
Keywords:
Contextual supportInhibitory deficit hypothesisPicture namingProactive controlReversed language dominanceMore Related Videos
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