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Bilingual digit and number word processing in a parity judgment flanker task

  • Original Research Article
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Culture and Brain

Abstract

Numbers are particularly interesting as they can be presented in different notations, for example, they can be represented as numerical digits or words. Moreover, many cultures around the world have different writing systems for representing number. Thai uses a more traditional Thai number system in conjunction with Arabic numbers. In the current study, we investigated the processing of numerical digits and words in unbalanced Thai-English bilinguals using a numerical parity judgment task. The flankers occurring on either side of the target were either congruent or incongruent with the target digit or word. In Experiment 1, we investigated the effects of Arabic digit and Thai digit flankers on English and Thai target number words and in Experiment 2, the effects of English and Thai number word flankers on Arabic and Thai digit targets. In Experiment 1, we found an interference effect from Thai digit flankers on Thai numerical words and in Experiment 2, an interference effect for Arabic digits from Thai word flankers. These results suggest that the first language is playing a greater contributing role than the second language and that numerical notation format contributes to the effect. Proficiency in the second language is likely to moderate this effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour Campus, Hogbin Drive, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2450, Australia

    Heather Winskel

  2. Linguistics Department, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Theeraporn Ratitamkul

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  1. Heather Winskel
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  2. Theeraporn Ratitamkul
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Correspondence to Heather Winskel.

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Winskel, H., Ratitamkul, T. Bilingual digit and number word processing in a parity judgment flanker task. Cult. Brain 9, 128–143 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40167-020-00097-z

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