@article{Festman2012, author = {Festman, Julia}, title = {Language control abilities of late bilinguals}, series = {Bilingualism : language and cognition.}, volume = {15}, journal = {Bilingualism : language and cognition.}, number = {3}, publisher = {Cambridge Univ. Press}, address = {New York}, issn = {1366-7289}, doi = {10.1017/S1366728911000344}, pages = {580 -- 593}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Although all bilinguals encounter cross-language interference (CLI), some bilinguals are more susceptible to interference than others. Here, we report on language performance of late bilinguals (Russian/German) on two bilingual tasks (interview, verbal fluency), their language use and switching habits. The only between-group difference was CLI: one group consistently produced significantly more errors of CLI on both tasks than the other (thereby replicating our findings from a bilingual picture naming task). This striking group difference in language control ability can only be explained by differences in cognitive control, not in language proficiency or language mode.}, language = {en} } @article{FestmanMuente2012, author = {Festman, Julia and Muente, Thomas F.}, title = {Cognitive control in Russian-German bilinguals}, series = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {3}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {1664-1078}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00115}, pages = {7}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Bilingual speakers are faced with the problem to keep their languages apart, but do so with interindividually varying success. Cognitive control abilities might be an important factor to explain such interindividual differences. Here we compare two late, balanced and highly proficient bilingual groups (mean age 24 years, L1 Russian, L2 German) which were established according to their language control abilities on a bilingual picture-naming task. One group had difficulties to remain in the instructed target language and switched unintentionally to the non-target language ("switchers"), whereas the other group rarely switched unintentionally ("non-switchers"). This group-specific behavior could not be explained by language background, socio-cultural, or demographic variables. Rather, the non-switchers also demonstrated a faster and better performance on four cognitive control tests (Tower of Hanoi, Ruff Figural Fluency Test, Divided Attention, Go/Nogo). Here, we focus on two additional executive function tasks, theWisconsin Card SortingTest (WCST) and the Flanker task requiring conflict monitoring and conflict resolution. Non-switchers outperformed switchers with regard to speed and accuracy, and were better at finding and applying the correct rules in the WCST. Similarly, in the Flanker task non-switchers performed faster and better on conflict trials and had a higher correction rate following an error. Event-related potential recordings furthermore revealed a smaller error-related negativity in the non-switchers, taken as evidence for a more efficient self-monitoring system. We conclude that bilingual language performance, in particular switching behavior, is related to performance on cognitive control tasks. Better cognitive control, including conflict monitoring, results in decreased unintentional switching.}, language = {en} } @misc{Festman2012, author = {Festman, Julia}, title = {Language control abilities of late bilinguals}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {459}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-413930}, pages = {14}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Although all bilinguals encounter cross-language interference (CLI), some bilinguals are more susceptible to interference than others. Here, we report on language performance of late bilinguals (Russian/German) on two bilingual tasks (interview, verbal fluency), their language use and switching habits. The only between-group difference was CLI: one group consistently produced significantly more errors of CLI on both tasks than the other (thereby replicating our findings from a bilingual picture naming task). This striking group difference in language control ability can only be explained by differences in cognitive control, not in language proficiency or language mode.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{Festman2013, author = {Festman, Julia}, title = {The complexity-cost factor in bilingualism}, series = {Behavioral and brain sciences : an international journal of current research and theory with open peer commentary}, volume = {36}, journal = {Behavioral and brain sciences : an international journal of current research and theory with open peer commentary}, number = {4}, publisher = {Cambridge Univ. Press}, address = {New York}, issn = {0140-525X}, doi = {10.1017/S0140525X12002579}, pages = {355 -- 356}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Language processing changes with the knowledge and use of two languages. The advantage of being bilingual comes at the expense of increased processing demands and processing costs. I suggest considering bilingual complexity including these demands and costs. The proposed model claims effortless monolingual processing. By integrating individual and situational variability, the model would lose its idealistic touch, even for monolinguals.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{ReitererFestman2014, author = {Reiterer, Susanne Maria and Festman, Julia}, title = {Special Issue: multilingual brains: individual differences in bi-and multilinguals}, series = {International journal of bilingualism : cross-disciplinary, cross-linguistic studies of language behavior}, volume = {18}, journal = {International journal of bilingualism : cross-disciplinary, cross-linguistic studies of language behavior}, number = {1}, publisher = {Sage Publ.}, address = {London}, issn = {1367-0069}, doi = {10.1177/1367006912456624}, pages = {3 -- 4}, year = {2014}, language = {en} } @article{WattendorfFestmanWestermannetal.2014, author = {Wattendorf, Elise and Festman, Julia and Westermann, Birgit and Keil, Ursula and Zappatore, Daniela and Franceschini, Rita and Luedi, Georges and Radue, Ernst-Wilhelm and Muente, Thomas F. and Rager, Guenter and Nitsch, Cordula}, title = {Early bilingualism influences early and subsequently later acquired languages in cortical regions representing control functions}, series = {International journal of bilingualism : cross-disciplinary, cross-linguistic studies of language behavior}, volume = {18}, journal = {International journal of bilingualism : cross-disciplinary, cross-linguistic studies of language behavior}, number = {1}, publisher = {Sage Publ.}, address = {London}, issn = {1367-0069}, doi = {10.1177/1367006912456590}, pages = {48 -- 66}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Early acquisition of a second language influences the development of language abilities and cognitive functions. In the present study, we used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to investigate the impact of early bilingualism on the organization of the cortical language network during sentence production. Two groups of adult multilinguals, proficient in three languages, were tested on a narrative task; early multilinguals acquired the second language before the age of three years, late multilinguals after the age of nine. All participants learned a third language after nine years of age. Comparison of the two groups revealed substantial differences in language-related brain activity for early as well as late acquired languages. Most importantly, early multilinguals preferentially activated a fronto-striatal network in the left hemisphere, whereas the left posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG) was activated to a lesser degree than in late multilinguals. The same brain regions were highlighted in previous studies when a non-target language had to be controlled. Hence the engagement of language control in adult early multilinguals appears to be influenced by the specific learning and acquisition conditions during early childhood. Remarkably, our results reveal that the functional control of early and subsequently later acquired languages is similarly affected, suggesting that language experience has a pervasive influence into adulthood. As such, our findings extend the current understanding of control functions in multilinguals.}, language = {en} } @misc{CzapkaWotschackKlassertetal.2019, author = {Czapka, Sophia and Wotschack, Christiane and Klassert, Annegret and Festman, Julia}, title = {A path to the bilingual advantage}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {688}, issn = {1866-8364}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-46973}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-469736}, pages = {13}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Matching participants (as suggested by Hope, 2015) may be one promising option for research on a potential bilingual advantage in executive functions (EF). In this study we first compared performances in three EF-tasks of a naturally heterogeneous sample of monolingual (n = 69, age = 9.0 y) and multilingual children (n = 57, age = 9.3 y). Secondly, we meticulously matched participants pairwise to obtain two highly homogeneous groups to rerun our analysis and investigate a potential bilingual advantage. The initally disadvantaged multilinguals (regarding socioeconomic status and German lexicon size) performed worse in updating and response inhibition, but similarly in interference inhibition. This indicates that superior EF compensate for the detrimental effects of the background variables. After matching children pairwise on age, gender, intelligence, socioeconomic status and German lexicon size, performances became similar except for interference inhibition. Here, an advantage for multilinguals in the form of globally reduced reaction times emerged, indicating a bilingual executive processing advantage.}, language = {en} } @article{CzapkaWotschackKlassertetal.2020, author = {Czapka, Sophia and Wotschack, Christiane and Klassert, Annegret and Festman, Julia}, title = {A path to the bilingual advantage}, series = {Bilingualism : language and cognition}, volume = {23}, journal = {Bilingualism : language and cognition}, number = {2}, publisher = {Cambridge Univ. Press}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1366-7289}, doi = {10.1017/S1366728919000166}, pages = {344 -- 354}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Matching participants (as suggested by Hope, 2015) may be one promising option for research on a potential bilingual advantage in executive functions (EF). In this study we first compared performances in three EF-tasks of a naturally heterogeneous sample of monolingual (n = 69, age = 9.0 y) and multilingual children (n = 57, age = 9.3 y). Secondly, we meticulously matched participants pairwise to obtain two highly homogeneous groups to rerun our analysis and investigate a potential bilingual advantage. The initally disadvantaged multilinguals (regarding socioeconomic status and German lexicon size) performed worse in updating and response inhibition, but similarly in interference inhibition. This indicates that superior EF compensate for the detrimental effects of the background variables. After matching children pairwise on age, gender, intelligence, socioeconomic status and German lexicon size, performances became similar except for interference inhibition. Here, an advantage for multilinguals in the form of globally reduced reaction times emerged, indicating a bilingual executive processing advantage.}, language = {en} } @article{CzapkaFestman2021, author = {Czapka, Sophia and Festman, Julia}, title = {Wisconsin Card Sorting Test reveals a monitoring advantage but not a switching advantage in multilingual children}, series = {Journal of experimental child psychology : JECP}, volume = {204}, journal = {Journal of experimental child psychology : JECP}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0022-0965}, doi = {10.1016/j.jecp.2020.105038}, pages = {19}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is used to test higher-level executive functions or switching, depending on the measures chosen in a study and its goal. Many measures can be extracted from the WCST, but how to assign them to specific cognitive skills remains unclear. Thus, the current study first aimed at identifying which measures test the same cognitive abilities. Second, we compared the performance of mono- and multilingual children in the identified abilities because there is some evidence that bilingualism can improve executive functions. We tested 66 monolingual and 56 multilingual (i.e., bi- and trilingual) primary school children (M-age = 109 months) in an online version of the classic WCST. A principal component analysis revealed four factors: problem-solving, monitoring, efficient errors, and perseverations. Because the assignment of measures to factors is only partially coherent across the literature, we identified this as one of the sources of task impurity. In the second part, we calculated regression analyses to test for group differences while controlling for intelligence as a predictor for executive functions and for confounding variables such as age, German lexicon size, and socioeconomic status. Intelligence predicted problem solving and perseverations. In the monitoring component (measured by the reaction times preceding a rule switch), multilinguals outperformed monolinguals, thereby supporting the view that bi- or multilingualism can improve processing speed related to monitoring.}, language = {en} } @article{CzapkaSchwieterFestman2022, author = {Czapka, Sophia and Schwieter, John W. and Festman, Julia}, title = {The influence of peripheral emotions on inhibitory control among children}, series = {Acta psychologica : international journal of psychonomics}, volume = {223}, journal = {Acta psychologica : international journal of psychonomics}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0001-6918}, doi = {10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103507}, pages = {10}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In this study, we investigated the cognitive-emotional interplay by measuring the effects of executive competition (Pessoa, 2013), i.e., how inhibitory control is influenced when emotional information is encountered. Sixty-three children (8 to 9 years of age) participated in an inhibition task (central task) accompanied by happy, sad, or neutral emoticons (displayed in the periphery). Typical interference effects were found in the main task for speed and accuracy, but in general, these effects were not additionally modulated by the peripheral emoticons indicating that processing of the main task exhausted the limited capacity such that interference from the task-irrelevant, peripheral information did not show (Pessoa, 2013). Further analyses revealed that the magnitude of interference effects depended on the order of congruency conditions: when incongruent conditions preceded congruent ones, there was greater interference. This effect was smaller in sad conditions, and particularly so at the beginning of the experiment. These findings suggest that the bottom-up perception of task-irrelevant emotional information influenced the top-down process of inhibitory control among children in the sad condition when processing demands were particularly high. We discuss if the salience and valence of the emotional stimuli as well as task demands are the decisive characteristics that modulate the strength of this relation.}, language = {en} }