Abstract

Despite increasing interest in the interface between emotion word processing and bilingualism, the representation of valence during emotion word processing in the bilingual brain remains unclear. In the present study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate the neural correlates of written emotion words in a first (L1) and a second (L2) language. Native English (16) and native Chinese (16) bilingual participants rated emotion words in their first and second language while we recorded their brain activity. Our results show distinct neural processing patterns between L1 and L2, with the former eliciting increased overall activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPF) during an emotional rating task. Our results suggest increased neural activity in the left hemisphere for positive words and the right hemisphere for negative words during L1 processing. Intriguingly, we observed the opposite pattern during L2 processing. Emotion condition elicited a statistically significant difference in ratings and response times across groups. Implications for research on bilingualism and emotion are discussed.

Degree

College and Department

Humanities; Linguistics

Rights

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