In:Bilingualism, Executive Function, and Beyond: Questions and insights
Edited by Irina A. Sekerina, Lauren Spradlin and Virginia Valian
[Studies in Bilingualism 57] 2019
► pp. 237–246
Chapter 15Putting together bilingualism and executive function
Virginia Valian | Hunter College, City University of New York, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
Published online: 12 June 2019
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.57.15val
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.57.15val
Abstract
Three important issues bear on understanding the connection between bilingualism and executive function. The first is the absence of a fine-grained task analysis for executive functions and other cognitive processes. The second is the absence of a theory of the cognitive mechanisms underlying the deployment of two or more languages and thus the absence of a solid basis on which to make predictions about what domain-general performances, if any, bilinguals should excel in. The third is the relation between neural and behavioral consequences of bilingualism. These three issues must be taken in account in trying to understand the variability among findings showing benefits of bilingualism for executive function.
Keywords: executive function, variability in benefits
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