Individual variation and the bilingual advantage: Factors that modulate the effect of bilingualism on cognitive control and cognitive reserve

Abstract

The aim of this book is to provide an overview of studies published so far on bilingualism and cognitive control, as well as their findings, in an effort to determine whether or not a bilingual advantage in cognitive control really exists. Furthermore, the focus will be on individual, as well as methodological, factors such as socioeconomic status, immigrant status and ethnicity, cognitive capacity, culture, age, and experimental task used, all factors that might modulate the bilingual advantage in cognitive control. Finally, we will take a closer look at the cognitive reserve hypothesis that states that individuals with more cognitive reserve have a reduced risk of suffering from brain diseases, such as dementia. In addition to factors like a higher level of education, complex occupations, cognitively stimulating leisure activities, suggestions have been made that being bilingual/multilingual enhances the individual’s cognitive reserve. Does the daily use of two or more languages protect the aging individual against cognitive decline? Does lifelong bilingualism protect against brain diseases, such as dementia, later in life? This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Individual Variation and the Bilingual Advantage - Factors that Modulate the Effect of Bilingualism on Cognitive Control and Cognitive Reserve that was published in Behavioral Sciences.