Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing

双语语言处理的认知架构

基本信息

批准号：
8107566
负责人：
Viorica Marian
金额：
$ 25.2万
依托单位：
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2010
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2010-07-15 至 2015-05-31
项目状态：
已结题

项目摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Broadly defined, the proposed project centers on the relationship between language and cognition, focusing on the consequences of bilingualism for cognitive, linguistic, and developmental processes. The objective of the present work is to understand how using more than one language changes cognitive architecture and impacts general cognitive function. Our previous research demonstrates that auditory input co-activates both languages in parallel during bilingual spoken comprehension via bottom-up cascading activation. Using an interactive activation framework, the proposed project further advances understanding of bilingual spoken language processing by examining the role of top-down activation and the interaction of top- down, bottom-up, and lateral activation during bilingual spoken language comprehension. Four studies utilize eye-movements and other behavioral measures to examine how bilinguals manage co-activation and interaction across the two languages, across modalities (e.g., between spoken and sign languages), across levels (e.g., between segmental and suprasegmental input), and in sentence context. The proposed research also examines cognitive consequences of bilingualism by establishing a direct link between cross-linguistic co- activation and inhibitory control. Theoretically, the proposed research contributes to understanding the complex relationship between language and cognition from the unique vantage point of bilingualism and specifies the interactive nature of top-down, bottom-up and lateral activation in the bilingual cognitive architecture. Addressing broader societal needs, this work has practical implications for the large segment of the American population who speaks a language other than English at home and for whom clinical and educational outcomes can be improved by capitalizing on the interaction and co-activation of two languages. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proportion of non-native English speakers in the United States is rapidly increasing, yet the changing demographic remains under-represented in basic and applied research, posing challenges for providing services to this rapidly-growing segment of the population. The overarching goal of this project is to understand how bilingualism impacts cognition and language and how knowing another language changes the architecture of the cognitive system. Four studies examine how bilinguals understand spoken language and how the two languages interact as a result of top-down, bottom- up, and lateral influences during comprehension. By specifically focusing on parallel activation and cross-linguistic interaction in bilingual language processing, this project advances our understanding of the human linguistic capacity, with implications for intervention strategies with bilinguals.

描述（由申请人提供）：从广义上讲，拟议项目以语言和认知之间的关系为中心，重点关注双语对认知、语言和发展过程的影响。目前工作的目的是了解使用一种以上语言如何改变认知结构并影响一般认知功能。我们之前的研究表明，在双语口语理解过程中，听觉输入通过自下而上的级联激活并行地共同激活两种语言。该项目使用交互式激活框架，通过研究自上而下激活的作用以及自上而下、自下而上和横向激活在双语口语理解过程中的相互作用，进一步增进了对双语口语处理的理解。四项研究利用眼球运动和其他行为测量来检验双语者如何管理跨两种语言、跨模式（例如，口语和手语之间）、跨级别（例如，分段输入和超分段输入之间）的共同激活和交互，以及在句子上下文中。拟议的研究还通过建立跨语言共激活和抑制控制之间的直接联系来检验双语的认知后果。从理论上讲，本研究有助于从双语的独特视角理解语言与认知之间的复杂关系，并明确双语认知架构中自上而下、自下而上和横向激活的交互本质。为了满足更广泛的社会需求，这项工作对大部分在家里说英语以外的语言的美国人口具有实际意义，并且可以通过利用两种语言的相互作用和共同激活来改善他们的临床和教育成果。公共卫生相关性：美国非英语母语人口的比例正在迅速增加，但不断变化的人口在基础和应用研究中的代表性仍然不足，这给向这一快速增长的人口群体提供服务带来了挑战。该项目的总体目标是了解双语如何影响认知和语言，以及了解另一种语言如何改变认知系统的架构。四项研究探讨了双语者如何理解口语，以及两种语言在理解过程中如何因自上而下、自下而上和横向影响而相互作用。通过特别关注双语语言处理中的并行激活和跨语言交互，该项目增进了我们对人类语言能力的理解，并对双语者的干预策略产生了影响。