The influence of cross-speaker code-switching and language ability on inhibitory control in bilingual children

Abstract

Prior work has yielded mixed findings regarding the relationship between language control and domain-general inhibitory control. Here, we tested the possibility that omnibus language ability would moderate the relationship between language control and inhibitory control in bilingual children. We tested 43 Spanish-English bilingual children (ages 4–5.92 years; 25 females). Children engaged in play-based interactions with their parent, and rates of cross-speaker switches (using a language different from one used by parent) indexed language control. Inhibitory control was measured via a non-verbal flanker task. Analyses revealed that higher frequency of cross-speaker code-switches was associated with better inhibitory control only for children with higher levels of language ability. For children with lower language skills, there was no association between switches and inhibitory control. These findings align with the literature linking cognitive control and language control in bilinguals and extend it to indicate that the strength of the language system constrains this link.