Cognitive Science: Contextual effects (interlocutor) on bilingual language processing
Bilingual language use happens in a social context. Therefore, for a bilingual speaker, the social, linguistic and cultural identity of the interlocutor or even the presence of a passive listener matters. Although bilingual speakers use their top-down control system to modulate language production which should be appropriate, many a times, various salient cues influence language production. Bilingual speakers must consider the language of the listener or conversation partner to select the appropriate language. For example, if the interlocutor speaks predominantly a certain language, then bilingual speakers must select this and inhibit the other language, which is anyways active. However, it is not clear if bilinguals take into consideration the language proficiency of the interlocutor while selecting their own language and the cognitive processes involved during this process. I intend to explore multiple components (language proficiency of bilinguals, familiarity, predictability and monitoring) along with the effects of interlocutors’ language proficiency bilingual language processing using behavioral and Eye-tracking techniques. This area of research is been conducted in collaboration with Prof. Ramesh Mishra
Published Papers
02. Kapiley, K., & & Mishra, R. K. (Accepted - in press). Bilingual speakers show sensitivity to interlocutors’ L2 language proficiency during language production. International Journal of Bilingualism.
07. Kumar, S., Kapiley, K., & Mishra. R. K . Awareness of interlocutors’ L2 proficiency modulates cross-linguistic activation in high-L2 proficient bilinguals . International Journal of Bilingualism. (Under Review - second round)
08. Prasad, S., Puri, S., Kapiley, K., Rafeekh. R., & Mishra, R. K. Looking without knowing: Evidence for language-mediated eye movements to masked words in Hindi-English bilinguals. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. (Under Review)