The Effects of Bilingualism on Inhibitory Control

Abstract

Previous research has compared the cognitive functioning abilities of bilinguals and monolinguals and has produced contradictory results. Where one body of research has found significant effects of bilingualism on delaying the onset of dementia symptoms in adults or increased executive functioning in children, others have resulted in null findings. The problem of varied findings is only intensified through inconsistencies in testing and varying definitions of bilingualism. The aim of the current study was to find a positive relationship between being bilingual and enhanced inhibitory control. It was hypothesized that bilinguals, when compared against monolinguals, would perform better on inhibitory control tasks. This hypothesis was tested through the Stroop task (Stroop, 1992) and the Eriksen Flanker task (Eriksen and Eriksen, 1974). Results revealed that monolinguals and bilinguals do not differ in their inhibitory control abilities