Domain‐general cognitive control processes in bilingual switching: Evidence from midfrontal theta oscillations

European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 60, pp. 4813–4829

Abstract

Language control in bilingual speakers is thought to be implicated in effectively switching between languages, inhibiting the non-intended language, and continuously monitoring what to say and what has been said. It has been a matter of controversy concerning whether language control operates in a comparable manner to cognitive control processes in non-linguistic domains (domain-general) or if it is exclusive to language processing (domain-specific). As midfrontal theta oscillations have been considered as an index of cognitive control, examining whether a midfrontal theta effect is evident in tasks requiring bilingual control could bring new insights to the ongoing debate. To this end, we reanalysed the EEG data from two previous bilingual production studies where Dutch-English bilinguals named pictures based on colour cues. Specifically, we focused on three fundamental control processes in bilingual production: switching between languages, inhibition of the nontarget language, and monitoring of speech errors. Theta power increase was observed in switch trials compared to repeat trials, with a midfrontal scalp distribution. However, no theta power difference was observed in switch trials following a shorter sequence of same-language trials compared to a longer sequence, suggesting a missing modulation of inhibitory control. Similarly, increased midfrontal theta power was observed when participants failed to switch to the intended language compared to correct responses. Altogether, these findings tentatively support the involvement of domain-general cognitive control mechanisms in bilingual switching.

Authors 3

1. Ningjing Cui Aachen Institute of Cognitive Psychology Leiden University Leiden Netherlands Institute of Cognitive Psychology

   Leiden University · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands

   Institute of Cognitive Psychology Leiden University Leiden Netherlands

   Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

   Institute of Cognitive Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

2. Vitória Piai

   Radboud University Medical Center · Radboud University Nijmegen · Donders Centre for Neuroscience · Donders Centre for Cognition

   Affiliation as printed

   Donders Centre for Cognition Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands

   Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen The Netherlands

   Donders Centre for Cognition, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

   Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

3. Xiaochen Zheng corresponding

   Radboud University Nijmegen · Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging

   Affiliation as printed

   Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands

   Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands