COGST 4712

Bilingualism & Cognition: Exploring the Bilingual Cognitive Advantage Across the Lifespan

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2015-2016.

Bilingualism, even multilingualism, is a prevalent phenomenon in today's world, with more than half of the world's population using more than one language on a daily basis.  Previous negative stereotypes regarding bilingualism have now been proven wrong, and a growing body of behavioral and neuroimaging research has provided evidence for the positive effects of bilingualism on cognitive outcomes across the lifespan – from infants to elderly lifelong bilinguals.  In this interdisciplinary course, we will debate common myths about bilingualism, and review and critique the cognitive advantages of bilingualism from perspectives of developmental psychology, linguistics, neuroscience and sociolinguistics.  Students will critique and debate critical works in the field, and develop research proposals, applying interdisciplinary methods of design and methods in a peer group of other students involved in related research.

When Offered Spring.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Pre or corequisite: enrollment in an independent research course either in Cognitive Sciences (e.g, COGST 4700) or in a related department or in honors thesis research in one of the departments relevant to Cognitive Science; or permission of the instructors.

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