Individual Differences in the Bilingual Experience and Variation in the Neural Correlates of Executive Function: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Research suggests that the experience of bilingualism might contribute to variation in executive function (EF) skills, however patterns of results reported in the literature are mixed. Many studies measure behavioural correlates of executive function, with less exploration of underlying neural mechanisms. Most studies also report “bilinguals” as a homogenous group, despite considerable variation in the experience of bilingualism across individuals. To address these limitations, a systematic review was conducted that explicitly explores and summarizes reported associations between individual differences in the bilingual experience and neural correlates of EF. Individual differences noted were found to predict neural correlates of executive function in a number of studies; however associations were not observed across all reviewed studies, relaying other variables that could be in play. Limitations, implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.