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In:Quantitative Methods in Multilingual Acquisition and Processing
Edited by Gabrielle Klassen and John W. Schwieter
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 16] 2026
► pp. 173–203

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Chapter 9
The use of non-linguistic cognitive conflict tasks to understand the bilingual mind

Published online: 26 March 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.16.09she
Abstract
When bilingualism first began to be studied, cognitive psychological research was still a relatively young field. Initially, researchers believed that bilingual children would display slower cognitive development, and that multiple language use could lead to confusion and lower intelligence. Since that time, cognitive research has improved and developed ways of measuring different abilities to better understand the bilingual mind. Now, rather than an intellectual disadvantage, talk of a bilingual advantage in cognition seems ubiquitous; however, it remains controversial. Thanks to a number of non-linguistic tasks measuring a variety of cognitive abilities, we are beginning to unravel how bilingualism impacts cognition, including proposed benefits in multiple cognitive domains. Of particular interest is the domain of executive function and the concept of cognitive conflict. This chapter will reveal how non-linguistic cognitive conflict tasks have been used historically, presently, and how their usage is progressing into the future to answer the questions of bilingual cognition that the field still has.
Article outline
  • 9.1Introduction: The beginnings of cognitive research on bilingualism
  • 9.2Creating the canon of testing
  • 9.3The explosion of cognitive conflict research on bilingualism
    • 9.3.1Controlling conflict
    • 9.3.2Directing attention towards the brain
    • 9.3.3It’s about more than just tasks
  • 9.4The future of non-linguistic research on cognition in bilingualism
  • 9.5Conclusion
  • References
References (87)
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