Cognitive Control and Consequences of Multilingualism

The human mind is a marvelous device that effectively regulates mental activities and facilitates amendable cognitive behaviour across several domains such as attention, memory, and language processing. For multilinguals, the mind also represents and manages more than one language system—a mental exercise which may lead to cognitive benefits. Through an in-depth exploration of these issues, Cognitive Control and Consequences of Multilingualism presents original studies and new perspectives which are cutting-edge and feature traditional and innovative methodologies such as ERPs, fMRIs, eye-tracking, picture- and numeral naming, the Simon, flanker, and oculomotor Stroop tasks, among others. The studies in this book investigate prominent themes in multilingual language control for both comprehension and production and probe the notion of a cognitive advantage that may be a result of multilingualism. The growing number of researchers, practitioners, and students alike will find this volume to be an instrumental source of readings that illuminates how one mind accommodates and controls multiple languages and the consequences it has on human cognition in general.

Ping Li, The Pennsylvania State University:
Cognitive control has been instrumental in driving multilingualism research to center stage of cognitive science. Schwieter and other leading scholars present comprehensive and critical analyses of the relationship between cognitive control and bilingual/multilingual experience, using interdisciplinary theories and methodologies to study both children and adults. This is a landmark volume that helps to “turn the hazy views into full pictures” in light of recent debates on bilingualism, control, and neuroplasticity.