The Relationships between Balanced-Bilingual Proficiency, Executive Function, and Rational Thinking: A Dissociative Finding
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| Title: | The Relationships between Balanced-Bilingual Proficiency, Executive Function, and Rational Thinking: A Dissociative Finding |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Wei-Lun Lin, Chih-Chieh Chang, Yi-Ling Shih |
| Source: | International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 2025 28(3):308-324. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Bilingualism, Executive Function, Language Proficiency, Critical Thinking, Inhibition, Logical Thinking, College Students, Foreign Countries, Personality Traits, Intelligence, Socioeconomic Status |
| Geographic Terms: | Taiwan |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13670050.2024.2431573 |
| ISSN: | 1367-0050 1747-7522 |
| Abstract: | The cognitive advantages of bilingualism have accumulated significant support in various domains, and executive function is suggested to be one of their operative mechanisms. However, empirical evidence of the relationships among bilingualism, executive function, and rational thinking is still lacking. The present study extends this understanding. With a refined operational definition of bilingualism and by controlling for possible confounding variables, we recruited 114 university participants to perform a balanced bilingual proficiency task; a modified Simon executive function (EF) task (to assess inhibition and updating components of EFs); a syllogism task; a critical thinking test; and measures of intelligence, socioeconomic status (SES), and the openness-to-experience personality trait. The results showed that balanced bilingual proficiency positively and robustly predicted participants' performance in syllogism and critical thinking tasks after we controlled for other variables. The relationships between EF components and rational thinking showed a dissociative result: Inhibition and updating ability contributed to syllogistic and critical thinking differently. These results shed further light on the educational application needs of bilingual learning and concluded in a discussion of future investigations of the theoretical accounts and mechanisms of bilingual advantages. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1500129 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The cognitive advantages of bilingualism have accumulated significant support in various domains, and executive function is suggested to be one of their operative mechanisms. However, empirical evidence of the relationships among bilingualism, executive function, and rational thinking is still lacking. The present study extends this understanding. With a refined operational definition of bilingualism and by controlling for possible confounding variables, we recruited 114 university participants to perform a balanced bilingual proficiency task; a modified Simon executive function (EF) task (to assess inhibition and updating components of EFs); a syllogism task; a critical thinking test; and measures of intelligence, socioeconomic status (SES), and the openness-to-experience personality trait. The results showed that balanced bilingual proficiency positively and robustly predicted participants' performance in syllogism and critical thinking tasks after we controlled for other variables. The relationships between EF components and rational thinking showed a dissociative result: Inhibition and updating ability contributed to syllogistic and critical thinking differently. These results shed further light on the educational application needs of bilingual learning and concluded in a discussion of future investigations of the theoretical accounts and mechanisms of bilingual advantages. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1367-0050 1747-7522 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13670050.2024.2431573 |
