Kapatou, Georgia (2022) Does A Bilingual Experience Enhance Cognitive Flexibility in Older Adults? Behavioural and Neurophysiological Indications. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
This study investigated changes in cognitive flexibility in older adults after complex skill learning, specifically learning to speak a new language. Aging brings neuroanatomical and physiological changes that cause cognitive functions such as executive functions to fade. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to alternate between different mental tasks and it is considered to be one of the main elements of executive functions. The coordination of executive functions underpins high-level thought, at which older adults seem to face age-related deficits, resulting in daily challenges. In order to moderate this issue, complex skill learning such as language learning has been proposed to enhance cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility can be indicated in switching costs: the tendency to perform worse when switching between tasks, compared to repeating the same task. The goal of the current study, on a behavioural level, was to examine whether cognitive flexibility, was improved after language learning. On a neurophysiological level, the aim was to inspect any differences in event related potentials before and after the interventions, measured using electroencephalogram during the switching task. Specifically, the N2 and P3 neural components were inspected, as these are often observed during switching tasks and are often related to cognitive flexibility. This study was part of the FlexLang project, in which older adults participated in one of the three interventions: language, music or social-art learning, all lasting three months. Cognitive flexibility was assessed using a colour-shape switching task before and after the intervention. The results are ambiguous. Switching costs in accuracy, but not reaction time, were lower after the intervention compared to before, with no difference between the three interventions. No differences were found in the N2 and P3 between the two measurement points. Results suggest that the interventions or practice improved cognitive flexibility in older adults. However, further research needs to be done to explore the neurophysiological background that supports this process.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Mathot, S. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Cognitive Psychology and Psychophysiology (CPP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Feb 2022 14:50 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Feb 2022 14:50 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/241 |
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