特色ある研究
Corroborating the controversial Bilingual Advantage hypothesis using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) neuroimaging (日本語版はこちら)
Greggory WROBLEWSKI, Associate Professor
My research is designed to help identify brain activation patterns associated with second language (L2) proficiency in order to gather evidence for the still-controversial “bilingual advantage hypothesis,” in which L2 proficiency is thought to confer cognitive advantages over monolinguals or the less proficient. Our previous research (Wroblewski et al., 2017) suggested that Japanese university students with higher English proficiency can process information in a more neurally-efficient manner than those with lower proficiency scores during a verbal fluency task, even in their L1, Japanese. Using a portable and convenient functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device in combination with a standardized English expressive vocabulary test as a measure of L2 proficiency, the current research aims to a) compare frontal brain activity of native Japanese-speaking Kyushu University students during a verbal fluency test (the “FAS” test) in their native language and their L2, English, and b) determine if and/or how L2 proficiency can be visualized using neuroimaging. Thus, this project aims to find neuroimaging evidence for executive function differences based on L2 ability that have only been observed in behavioral studies until now. “Wroblewski Lab” provides a comfortable, convenient space in which enterprising students can get a taste of real, clinical research before they even graduate from university.