Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
05:31
Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task
Published on: February 26, 2020
Bilingual Narrative Development: Analyzing Sentences and Stories Within and Across Languages
Tatiana I Ramos Gallardo1,2, Michelle N Ramos1, Giang T Pham1
1School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University.
The International Journal of Bilingualism : Cross-Disciplinary, Cross-Linguistic Studies of Language Behavior
|May 11, 2026
Summary
Bilingual children
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Narrative skills in bilingual children are assessed at sentence (microstructure) and story (macrostructure) levels.
- Cross-language transfer of narrative macrostructure indicates leveraging storytelling skills across languages.
- Rigorous testing requires controlling for age and within-language microstructure skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cross-language transfer of narrative macrostructure in bilingual children.
- To examine the influence of age and microstructure on macrostructure.
- To determine if macrostructure skills transfer bidirectionally between L1 and L2.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed Spanish and English narrative retells from 109 bilingual children (ages 5-7).
- Used the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN).
- Measured microstructure (NDW, MLUw) and macrostructure (MAIN GAO).
Main Results:
- Within-language microstructure (e.g., vocabulary) significantly predicted macrostructure.
- Found bidirectional associations between L1 and L2 macrostructure.
- These associations persisted after controlling for age and microstructure.
Conclusions:
- Bilingual children demonstrate cross-language transfer of narrative macrostructure.
- Storytelling skills may rely on domain-general cognitive mechanisms.
- Vocabulary development supports narrative skills in both languages.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:22Language Development
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
01:16Language
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
01:24Components of Language
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs. “eh”). Phonemes combine to...
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
02:01Group Design
The most basic experimental design involves two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The two groups are designed to be the same except for one difference— experimental manipulation. The experimental group gets the experimental manipulation—that is, the treatment or variable being tested—and the control group does not. Since experimental manipulation is the only difference between the experimental and control groups, we can be sure that any differences between the two are due to...