We have been interested in the mechanisms underlying the interaction between bilingualism and cognitive control. We have developed a tool for a comprehensive assessment of language proficiency in Hindi and English (Dash & Kar, 2012).  We have used converging methodologies such as behavioural experimentation, EEG/ERP, and eye tracking to investigate  control processes such as selection, inhibition, and switching as a function of language proficiency and bilingual experience. 

We find that L1 proficiency extends itself to general-purpose cognitive control whereas L2 proficiency contributes to bilingual language control. ERP studies using the visual identity negative priming paradigm with linguistic stimuli have shown early latencies and larger amplitudes for inhibitory control in case of L1 (Dash & Kar, 2020). In addition, we find default state proactive control and reduced proactive inhibition cost in high proficiency bilinguals using eye movement method (Singh & Kar, 2018). The sociolinguistic factors are found to moderate the interaction between bilingualism and inhibitory control (Thanissery, Parihar & Kar, 2020). We are currently investigating the neural mechanisms of the interaction between language and cognitive control networks in fMRI.

Dash, T. & Kar, B. R. (2020). Behavioural and ERP correlates of bilingual language control and general-purpose inhibitory control predicted by L1 and L2 proficiency, Journal of Neurolinguistics, 56 doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2020.100914.

Nithin, T. H., Parihar, P., & Kar, B. R. (2020). Language Proficiency, sociolinguistic factors and inhibitory control. In the special issue on Cognitive Consequences of Bilingualism, Journal of Cultural Cognitive Science, 4 (2), DOI: 10.1007/s41809-020-00065-2

Singh, J. P. & Kar, B. R. (2018). Effect of language proficiency on proactive occulomotor control among bilinguals. PLoS One, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207904

Dash T. & Kar, B. R. (2014). Bilingual language control and general-purpose cognitive control among individuals with bilingual aphasia: Evidence based on negative priming and flanker tasks. Behavioural Neurology, 679706. doi.org/10.1155/2014/679706

Khare, V., Verma, A., Kar, B. R., Srinivasan, N. & Brysbeart, M. (2013). Bilingualism and the increased attentional blink effect: Evidence that the difference between bilinguals and monolinguals generalizes to different levels of second language proficiency. Psychological Research, 77, 728-737.

Dash, T. & Kar, B. R. (2012). Characterizing language proficiency in Hindi and English: Implications for bilingual research. International Journal of Mind Brain and Cognition, 3, 73–105.

Kar, B. R., Khare, V. & Dash, T. (2011). Bilingualism and Cognitive Control: Is bilingualism a Cognitive Advantage? In R. K. Mishra & N. Srinivasan, Language and Cognition: State of the Art. Munich: Lincom Europa.