Modality-specific effects in bilingual language perception

ABSTRACT

Language switching typically leads to language switch costs. Previous studies demonstrated that production-based language switching often results in reduced costs when the languages are assigned to distinct modalities (i.e. bimodal language switching) compared to switching within a modality (i.e. unimodal switching). In Experiment 1–3, we compared unimodal to bimodal switching in language perception. In Experiment 4, unimodal switching was compared to bivocal switching (i.e. languages were assigned to different voices). Experiment 1–3 revealed significantly higher switch costs for bimodal than for unimodal switching, indicating fundamental differences to language production studies. While bimodal switching leads to no (additional) costs but – under specific conditions – even to advantage in production, it increases switch costs in language perception. Moreover, Experiment 4 indicates that this is more a modality-specific rather than a general perception-based effect. Different voices instead of different modalities evoked no similar increase in switch costs.     

The role of self-regulation in derogating attractive alternatives

The present research addresses the question of how romantically involved individuals are able to shield their ongoing romantic relationship from the temptation of attractive alternative partners. Specifically, two studies examined, and supported, the prediction that self-regulation promotes romantically involved individuals’ tendency to derogate attractive others as potential partners. Heterosexual participants responded to pictures of attractive and unattractive opposite-sex others by indicating their interest in these others as potential partners. In both studies the possibility for self-regulation exertion was manipulated (by means of self-regulation depletion in Study 1, and time-pressure in Study 2). When self-regulatory resources were relatively high, romantically involved participants exhibited less interest in attractive opposite-sex others than non-involved participants. However, when self-regulatory resources were low, interest in attractive opposite-sex others did not differ between romantically involved and non-involved participants.