The Debate on the Bilingual Advantage of Cognition

doi:10.12002/j.bisu.566

Abstract

Abstract:

Research concerning the cognitive effects on bilingualism spans over a century, progressing from an early view of bilingual disadvantage, through a period emphasizing on bilingual advantage, to the current debate in which both perspectives coexist and challenge each other. Clarifying this issue is essential not only for understanding human cognitive mechanisms, but also due to its theoretical and practical implications in the teaching of foreign languages. The first focus in this paper is on tracing the origins of the debate, followed by a summary of the key points of contention, and an examination of the current state of the discussion regarding bilingual advantages in three core areas: executive function, creative thinking and theory of mind. The findings suggest that the complexity of both bilingualism and cognition, compounded by ambiguities in the definitions, components, and measurements thereof, underlies the on-going debate. Thus, future research should increasingly adopt the frameworks and methodologies of dynamic systems theory to comprehensively and multidimensionally analyze the eﬀects of bilingualism on cognitive abilities.

Keywords: cognition; bilingual advantage; bilingual disadvantage; executive function; creative thinking; theory of mind

摘要：

从早期的双语劣势，到中期的双语优势，再到今天的两种观点并存且相互争论不断，有关双语对认知影响的研究已有百年历史。充分认识双语对认知的影响不仅有助于探讨人类的认知机制，对外语教学也具有重要的理论和实践意义。本文回顾了这一问题的起源，对具体的争论议题进行了归纳，并从执行功能、创新思维和儿童心智理论3个关键方面分析了双语优势的争议现状。我们认为，双语优势之争存在的根本原因在于其复杂性。双语和认知两个概念本身都是极其复杂的，它们在定义、构成要素以及测量方面都存在诸多的不确定性。因此，今后的研究要更多借鉴动态系统理论的基本思路和研究方法，从动态的观点出发，更加全面立体地分析双语对认知能力的影响。

关键词: 认知, 双语优势, 双语劣势, 执行功能, 创新思维, 心智理论

CLC Number:

H319

Cui Gang, Zhou Xiaoran, Ren Yufei. The Debate on the Bilingual Advantage of Cognition[J]. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 2025, 47(1): 73-88.

崔刚, 周骁然, 任雨菲. 认知的双语优势之争[J]. 北京第二外国语学院学报, 2025, 47(1): 73-88.

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