Parallel activation of multiple languages in trilinguals: Evidence from eye movements and individual differences

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• Trilingual language activation can occur simultaneously.
• Understanding co-activation patterns in the trilingual language network is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate language processing and co-activation patterns in trilingual speakers.
• To examine how language proficiency, dominance, and cognitive control influence co-activation.

Main Methods:

• Visual search eye-tracking experiment with cross-linguistic competitors.
• Vocabulary assessments for language proficiency.
• Flanker task for cognitive control measurement.

Main Results:

• When one non-target language competitor was present, higher non-target language proficiency increased co-activation.
• When two non-target language competitors were present, higher proficiency decreased co-activation of one language.
• Stronger cognitive control correlated with decreased co-activation of dominant languages and increased co-activation of less-dominant languages.

Conclusions:

• Trilinguals' co-activation patterns resemble bilinguals when only one competitor is present.
• Distinct co-activation patterns emerge with two competitors, influenced by individual differences.
• Language proficiency, dominance, and cognitive control dynamically shape trilingual language co-activation.