Do people who speak two languages, smarter than others

The hypothesis that knowledge of two languages ​​has a positive effect on the brain is well known and beloved by different media, especially non-fiction. Studies have repeatedly shown that people of all ages, who know two languagesThey are ahead in terms of efficiency of those who know only one. In addition, more than once repeated that learning a second language makes it possible to delay the onset of dementia and causes the brain to work more actively.

Over the past few years there have been many attempts to replicate some of the original studies to again confirm this benefit. However, in practice everything turned out quite differently: the results of experiments have shown that after a few years the link between bilingualism and cognition was not confirmed. Because of this, in the scientific community are having a heated debate, and the topic itself has caused a wide resonance in the press (especially on pages Cortex) magazine.

One of the first to disproved the theory of the relationship of bilingualism and improve brain function, was Kenneth Paap (Kenneth Paap), a professor of psychology at the University of San Francisco. He argued that bilingualism does not provide benefits and its positive effects on the brain still needs to start to show.

The first thing Paap lashed out at Canadian research colleagues, who have focused on the positive aspects of bilingualism. The fact that it was for research, describe below.

Bialistok Ellen (Ellen Bialystok), doctor and psychologist at York University in Toronto, and colleagues conducted a great work, the results of which have helped to refute the idea that bilingualism can be harmful to the intellectual development children. More recent studies have gone a step further: it was found that children who know two languages, performed better on tests of executive function than those who only know one.

Executive function consists of three components: suppression, working memory (determines a person's ability to keep in mind the information needed to address current affairs) and switch between tasks. A common explanation of the advantages of bilingualism is: constant language practice trains the brain.

In 2004 Bialistok and her colleagues studied and compared the cognitive abilities of older bilinguals and monolinguals. Particular attention was paid to the difference in remembering and the perception of information. Moreover, this study showed for the first time the benefits of bilingualism for older people, it Results also showed that knowledge of two languages ​​delays the decline of cognitive activity brain. Subsequent experiments again confirmed that bilingualism delays the onset of dementia (dementia) is approximately four to five years.

Many studies related to bilingualism, participants are invited to take the test of Simon. The screen displays pictures, most often it is the arrows that appear either to the right or to the left. When the subject sees the arrow pointing to the right, he must press the right button when the arrow points to the left, then left. It is important only the direction of the arrow itself, and not on which side of the screen it appears. This experiment makes it possible to determine the rate of reaction.

Bilingual People often involve certain areas of the brain, therefore, and train more of them, not allowing two languages ​​merge into one. All this is beneficial cognitive abilities. Studies by Dr. Bialistok inspired many followers to recycle the huge amount of data and to carry out major research projects dedicated to the study of the functioning of the mechanisms and reasons of advantages bilingualism.

But here Paap and colleagues found some shortcomings in the studies described above. Their main disadvantage is that the experiments conducted in the laboratory. It does not take into account the socio-economic, national and cultural differences between subjects, and it cast some shadow on the purity of the experiment.

Another stumbling block was the cause-and-effect relationships. Does bilingualism development of cognitive abilities or, conversely, cognition encourages people to learn more than one language? On this question the answer was never found.

Paap did not stop there, and together with his colleagues analyzed the results of all the tests that were designed to compare the executive functions of bilinguals and monolinguals, since 2011. It was found that there was a 83% difference between the two groups revealed.

Such a statement was difficult to disprove, but Bialistok led the argument that the vast the number of negative results of the experiment due to the fact that the subjects were in most cases young people. For them, the benefits of bilingualism is not so obvious: their performance It is still at the peak regardless of language skills. According Bialistok, positive effects of bilingualism is most pronounced in children and the elderly.

However, there were inconsistencies in regard to the benefits of bilingualism for the elderly. Some studies claim that bilingual Alzheimer's disease manifests itself in the four or five years later, but other experiments do not confirm this.

A psychologist at the University of Edinburgh, Angela de Bruin (Angela de Bruin) checks to see if it depends on when it was recorded the onset of disease. We selected two groups of subjects: those who have just started to show signs of dementia, and those in whom the disease has progressed over the last several years. According to Angela, significant differences were observed.

Interesting research on bilingualism held and Evie Vumans (Evy Woumans) from the University of Ghent, Belgium. She decided study link between bilingualism and how often a person switches between the two languages. To this end, as the subjects were selected translators are professionals and ordinary people, who know two languages ​​and often switch between them. As a result, it was found that the ability to readily switch to another language without the need for professional results in a better executive functioning.

In addition, Vumans favor of reconciliation of the two warring camps: the supporters and opponents of bilingualism, and actively encourages them to cooperate with each other and share experiences.

Most scientific papers published today, confirms the advantages of bilingualism. But, as it turned out, the results of experiments is fairly easy to question.

Thus, one can clearly and confidently assert that people who know two languages, smarter others. The benefits of bilingualism, of course, is: you can enter the knowledge of the language in the abstract, without any problems to communicate with native speakers, read books in the original, and much more. But here's what bilingualism has a positive effect on the brain, have yet to prove.