How bilinguals control language when listening, speaking, and signing
Language Control Across Comprehension and Production in Unimodal and Bimodal Bilinguals
This project will test whether bilingual adults who use two spoken languages (Mandarin and English) or a spoken and a signed language (ASL and English) can control which language they use when they understand and produce words and signs.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 360 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of California, San Diego Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (San Diego, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT07226921 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will recruit unimodal bilinguals (Mandarin–English) and bimodal bilinguals (ASL–English) and have them perform language tasks such as categorizing words and naming pictures in different language contexts. Experimental manipulations will vary predictability and language context while measuring accuracy and reaction time on comprehension and production tasks. The study compares behavioral performance across modalities to see how language control operates for spoken–spoken versus spoken–signed bilinguals. Participants with third-language dominance or neurological/language disorders are excluded to keep the sample focused on healthy, proficient bilinguals.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Healthy adults who are proficient in both Mandarin and English or proficient in both ASL and English, without neurological or language disorders, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not proficient in the specified language pairs, who know a third language better than the study languages, or who have language or neurological disorders are unlikely to benefit from this study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could improve understanding of how different bilingual experiences shape language control, which may inform language teaching and communication support strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior behavioral research on spoken-language bilinguals has reliably shown reaction-time and accuracy differences related to language control, but fewer studies have tested spoken-plus-sign (bimodal) bilinguals, so this extends established methods to a less-studied group.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Proficient in both Mandarin and English, or proficiency in both ASL and English Exclusion Criteria: * Know a third language better than Mandarin/English or better than ASL/English * With language disorder or other neurological disorders
Where this trial is running
San Diego, California
- UCSD — San Diego, California, United States (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.