TY - JOUR A1 - Czapka, Sophia A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Wisconsin Card Sorting Test reveals a monitoring advantage but not a switching advantage in multilingual children JF - Journal of experimental child psychology : JECP N2 - 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. KW - Executive functions KW - Switching KW - Monitoring KW - Multilingualism KW - Factor KW - analysis KW - Bilingual advantage Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2020.105038 SN - 0022-0965 SN - 1096-0457 VL - 204 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czapka, Sophia A1 - Klassert, Annegret A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Executive functions and language BT - their differential influence on mono- vs. multilingual spelling in primary school JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - We aimed at unveiling the role of executive functions (EFs) and language-related skills in spelling for mono- versus multilingual primary school children. We focused on EF and language-related skills, in particular lexicon size and phonological awareness (PA), because these factors were found to predict spelling in studies predominantly conducted with monolinguals, and because multilingualism can modulate these factors. There is evidence for (a) a bilingual advantage in EF due to constant high cognitive demands through language control, (b) a smaller mental lexicon in German and (c) possibly better PA. Multilinguals in Germany show on average poorer German language proficiency, what can influence performance on language-based tasks negatively. Thus, we included two spelling tasks to tease apart spelling based on lexical knowledge (i.e., word spelling) from spelling based on non-lexical strategies (i.e., non-word spelling). Our sample consisted of heterogeneous third graders from Germany: 69 monolinguals (age: M = 108 months) and 57 multilinguals (age: M = 111 months). On less language-dependent tasks (e.g., non-word spelling, PA, intelligence, short-term memory (STM) and three EF tasks testing switching, inhibition, and working memory) performance of both groups did not differ significantly. However, multilinguals performed significantly more poorly on tasks measuring German lexicon size and word spelling than monolinguals. Regression analyses revealed that for multilinguals, inhibition was related to spelling, whereas switching was the only EF component to influence word spelling in monolinguals and non-word spelling performance in both groups. By adding lexicon size and other language-related factors to the regression models, the influence of switching was reduced to insignificant effects, but inhibition remained significant for multilinguals. Language-related skills best predicted spelling and both language groups shared those variables: PA for word spelling, and STM for non-word spelling. Additionally, multilinguals’ word spelling performance was also predicted by their German lexicon size, and non-word spelling performance by PA. This study offers an in-depth look at spelling acquisition at a certain point of literacy development. Mono- and multilinguals have the predominant factors for spelling in common, but probably due to superior language knowledge, monolinguals were already able to make use of EF during spelling. For multilinguals, German lexicon size was more important for spelling than EF. For multilinguals’ spelling these functions might come into play only at a later stage. KW - bilingualism KW - spelling KW - literacy acquisition KW - executive functions KW - lexicon size KW - primary school Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00097 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 10 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czapka, Sophia A1 - Klassert, Annegret A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Executive Functions and Language BT - Their Differential Influence on Mono- vs. Multilingual Spelling in Primary School JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - We aimed at unveiling the role of executive functions (EFs) and language-related skills in spelling for mono- versus multilingual primary school children. We focused on EF and language-related skills, in particular lexicon size and phonological awareness (PA), because these factors were found to predict spelling in studies predominantly conducted with monolinguals, and because multilingualism can modulate these factors. There is evidence for (a) a bilingual advantage in EF due to constant high cognitive demands through language control, (b) a smaller mental lexicon in German and (c) possibly better PA. Multilinguals in Germany show on average poorer German language proficiency, what can influence performance on language-based tasks negatively. Thus, we included two spelling tasks to tease apart spelling based on lexical knowledge (i.e., word spelling) from spelling based on non-lexical strategies (i.e., non-word spelling). Our sample consisted of heterogeneous third graders from Germany: 69 monolinguals (age: M = 108 months) and 57 multilinguals (age: M = 111 months). On less language-dependent tasks (e.g., non-word spelling, PA, intelligence, short-term memory (STM) and three EF tasks testing switching, inhibition, and working memory) performance of both groups did not differ significantly. However, multilinguals performed significantly more poorly on tasks measuring German lexicon size and word spelling than monolinguals. Regression analyses revealed that for multilinguals, inhibition was related to spelling, whereas switching was the only EF component to influence word spelling in monolinguals and non-word spelling performance in both groups. By adding lexicon size and other language-related factors to the regression models, the influence of switching was reduced to insignificant effects, but inhibition remained significant for multilinguals. Language-related skills best predicted spelling and both language groups shared those variables: PA for word spelling, and STM for non-word spelling. Additionally, multilinguals’ word spelling performance was also predicted by their German lexicon size, and non-word spelling performance by PA. This study offers an in-depth look at spelling acquisition at a certain point of literacy development. Mono- and multilinguals have the predominant factors for spelling in common, but probably due to superior language knowledge, monolinguals were already able to make use of EF during spelling. For multilinguals, German lexicon size was more important for spelling than EF. For multilinguals’ spelling these functions might come into play only at a later stage. KW - bilingualism KW - spelling KW - literacy acquisition KW - executive functions KW - lexicon size KW - primary school Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00097 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 10 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czapka, Sophia A1 - Schwieter, John W. A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - The influence of peripheral emotions on inhibitory control among children JF - Acta psychologica : international journal of psychonomics N2 - 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. KW - Executive function KW - Inhibitory control task KW - Cognitive emotional KW - regulation KW - Primary school children Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103507 SN - 0001-6918 SN - 1873-6297 VL - 223 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czapka, Sophia A1 - Wotschack, Christiane A1 - Klassert, Annegret A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - A path to the bilingual advantage BT - pairwise matching of individuals JF - Bilingualism : language and cognition N2 - 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. KW - executive functions KW - bilingualism KW - interference inhibition KW - pairwise KW - matching KW - primary school children KW - background variables KW - lexicon size Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728919000166 SN - 1366-7289 SN - 1469-1841 VL - 23 IS - 2 SP - 344 EP - 354 PB - Cambridge Univ. Press CY - Cambridge ER - TY - INPR A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - The complexity-cost factor in bilingualism T2 - Behavioral and brain sciences : an international journal of current research and theory with open peer commentary N2 - 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. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X12002579 SN - 0140-525X SN - 1469-1825 VL - 36 IS - 4 SP - 355 EP - 356 PB - Cambridge Univ. Press CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Language control abilities of late bilinguals JF - Bilingualism : language and cognition. N2 - 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. KW - language control KW - language proficiency KW - interference KW - error analysis KW - language mode KW - switching attitude Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728911000344 SN - 1366-7289 VL - 15 IS - 3 SP - 580 EP - 593 PB - Cambridge Univ. Press CY - New York ER - TY - THES A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Language processing : Multi-methodological studies with bi- and multilingual speakers Y1 - 2015 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Festman, Julia A1 - Clahsen, Harald T1 - How Germans prepare for the English past tense: Silent production of inflected words during EEG JF - Applied psycholinguistics : psychological and linguistic studies across languages and learners N2 - Processes involved in late bilinguals’ production of morphologically complex words were studied using an event-related brain potentials (ERP) paradigm in which EEGs were recorded during participants’ silent productions of English past- and present-tense forms. Twenty-three advanced second language speakers of English (first language [L1] German) were compared to a control group of 19 L1 English speakers from an earlier study. We found a frontocentral negativity for regular relative to irregular past-tense forms (e.g., asked vs. held) during (silent) production, and no difference for the present-tense condition (e.g., asks vs. holds), replicating the ERP effect obtained for the L1 group. This ERP effect suggests that combinatorial processing is involved in producing regular past-tense forms, in both late bilinguals and L1 speakers. We also suggest that this paradigm is a useful tool for future studies of online language production. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716415000089 SN - 0142-7164 SN - 1469-1817 VL - 37 SP - 487 EP - 506 PB - Cambridge Univ. Press CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Festman, Julia A1 - Muente, Thomas F. T1 - Cognitive control in Russian-German bilinguals JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - 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. KW - Flanker task KW - ERN KW - Wisconsin Card Sorting Test KW - conflict monitoring KW - inhibition KW - late bilinguals KW - cognitive control KW - executive function Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00115 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 3 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER -