Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual?
Studies have shown that “framing bias,” a phenomenon in which two different presentations of the same decision-making problem provoke different answers, is reduced in a foreign language (the Foreign Language effect, FLe). Three explanations have emerged to account for the difference. First, the <...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/6/1/43 |
| _version_ | 1797413758837981184 |
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| author | Alena Kirova Jose Camacho |
| author_facet | Alena Kirova Jose Camacho |
| author_sort | Alena Kirova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies have shown that “framing bias,” a phenomenon in which two different presentations of the same decision-making problem provoke different answers, is reduced in a foreign language (the Foreign Language effect, FLe). Three explanations have emerged to account for the difference. First, the <i>cognitive enhancement hypothesis</i> states that lower proficiency in the FL leads to more deliberate processing, reducing the framing bias. Second, contradicting the previous, the <i>cognitive overload hypothesis</i>, states that the cognitive load actually induces speakers to make less rational decisions in the FL. Finally, the <i>reduced emotionality hypothesis</i> suggests that speakers have less of an emotional connection to a foreign language (FL), causing an increase in rational language processing. Previous FLe research has involved both FL and non-FL speakers such as highly proficient acculturated bilinguals. Our study extends this research program to a population of heritage speakers of Spanish (HS speakers), whose second language (English) is dominant and who have comparable emotional resonances in both of their languages. We compare emotion-neutral and emotion-laden tasks: if reduced emotionality causes the FLe, it should only be present in emotion-laden tasks, but if it is caused by cognitive load, it should be present across tasks. Ninety-eight HS speakers, with varying degrees of proficiency in Spanish, exhibited cognitive biases across a battery of tasks: framing bias appeared in both cognitive-emotional and purely cognitive tasks, consistent with previous studies. Language of presentation (and proficiency) did not have a significant effect on responses in cognitive-emotional tasks, but did have an effect on the purely-cognitive Disjunction fallacy task: HS speakers did better in their second, <i>more</i> proficient language, a result consistent with neither the reduced emotionality hypothesis nor the cognitive enhancement hypothesis. Moreover, <i>higher</i> proficiency in Spanish significantly improved the rate of <i>correct</i> responses, indicating that our results are more consistent with the cognitive overload hypothesis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:23:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a616f619e89a4408abc6271de6fad581 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:23:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj.art-a616f619e89a4408abc6271de6fad5812023-12-03T12:38:59ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2021-03-01614310.3390/languages6010043Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual?Alena Kirova0Jose Camacho1Department of English and World Languages, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH 44555, USADepartment of Hispanic and Italian Studies, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USAStudies have shown that “framing bias,” a phenomenon in which two different presentations of the same decision-making problem provoke different answers, is reduced in a foreign language (the Foreign Language effect, FLe). Three explanations have emerged to account for the difference. First, the <i>cognitive enhancement hypothesis</i> states that lower proficiency in the FL leads to more deliberate processing, reducing the framing bias. Second, contradicting the previous, the <i>cognitive overload hypothesis</i>, states that the cognitive load actually induces speakers to make less rational decisions in the FL. Finally, the <i>reduced emotionality hypothesis</i> suggests that speakers have less of an emotional connection to a foreign language (FL), causing an increase in rational language processing. Previous FLe research has involved both FL and non-FL speakers such as highly proficient acculturated bilinguals. Our study extends this research program to a population of heritage speakers of Spanish (HS speakers), whose second language (English) is dominant and who have comparable emotional resonances in both of their languages. We compare emotion-neutral and emotion-laden tasks: if reduced emotionality causes the FLe, it should only be present in emotion-laden tasks, but if it is caused by cognitive load, it should be present across tasks. Ninety-eight HS speakers, with varying degrees of proficiency in Spanish, exhibited cognitive biases across a battery of tasks: framing bias appeared in both cognitive-emotional and purely cognitive tasks, consistent with previous studies. Language of presentation (and proficiency) did not have a significant effect on responses in cognitive-emotional tasks, but did have an effect on the purely-cognitive Disjunction fallacy task: HS speakers did better in their second, <i>more</i> proficient language, a result consistent with neither the reduced emotionality hypothesis nor the cognitive enhancement hypothesis. Moreover, <i>higher</i> proficiency in Spanish significantly improved the rate of <i>correct</i> responses, indicating that our results are more consistent with the cognitive overload hypothesis.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/6/1/43foreign language effectframing biasdecision-makingheritage language |
| spellingShingle | Alena Kirova Jose Camacho Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual? Languages foreign language effect framing bias decision-making heritage language |
| title | Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual? |
| title_full | Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual? |
| title_fullStr | Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual? |
| title_short | Can You Make Better Decisions If You Are Bilingual? |
| title_sort | can you make better decisions if you are bilingual |
| topic | foreign language effect framing bias decision-making heritage language |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/6/1/43 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alenakirova canyoumakebetterdecisionsifyouarebilingual AT josecamacho canyoumakebetterdecisionsifyouarebilingual |