Connecting Space and Time: Bilinguals Associate Time with Space in Both Their First and Second Languages
An international team of researchers including scientists at HSE University investigated how bilingual individuals associate time with space. It turns out that in both their first and second languages, people associate the past with the left side of space and the future with the right. In fact, the higher the proficiency in a second language, the more pronounced this relationship becomes. The study findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
Many concepts in language, both concrete and abstract, are perceived through the lens of sensorimotor experience and are associated with a spatial category. For example, processing words with implicit spatial referents, such as 'bird' and 'root,' induces corresponding systematic upward and downward attentional shifts. The association of words with specific positions in space is known as spatial mapping. This phenomenon is also observed in the processing of abstract concepts with emotional, numerical, and temporal semantics. Thus, when mentally counting hours or days of the week, a horizontal mental timeline is automatically activated, with past events on the left and future events on the right.
To determine whether the connection between time and space applies to bilinguals in their second language, an international team of researchers, including scientists at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, conducted an experiment. The participants included 53 bilinguals whose native language was Russian and second language was English, as well as 48 native German speakers who spoke English as a foreign language. The subjects were asked to classify time-related words such as 'yesterday, 'tomorrow,' ‘recently,' 'soon,' and others as referring to the past or the future by pressing the left or right response key.
The experiment included two versions of the task: in one version, the left key corresponded to words related to the past and the right key to words related to the future; in the other version, the right key corresponded to words related to the past and the left key to words related to the future.
The results showed that participants in both groups responded more quickly when the spatial representations and keys associated with the words matched, and more slowly when they did not. At the same time, spatial-temporal mapping was more pronounced in those with greater proficiency in their second language.
To assess their proficiency in the second language, all participants completed the Cambridge General English Test and a translation task.
Anastasia Malyshevskaya
'We replicated our experiment with two groups of bilinguals and found spatial-temporal mapping to be a consistent phenomenon. Moreover, we discovered a connection between the strength of spatial effects and the level of proficiency in a second language: the higher a person’s proficiency, the more pronounced their spatial-temporal mapping,' says the study author Anastasia Malyshevskaya, Junior Research Fellow at the HSE Centre for Cognition & Decision Making.
According to the researchers, learning a second language can improve cognitive flexibility and spatial-temporal thinking. 'The advantage of bilinguals is that they can use both languages to create intricate temporal mental maps,' according to Malyshevskaya.
Anastasia Malyshevskaya
See also:
Children with Autism Process Auditory Information Differently
A team of scientists, including researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, examined specific aspects of auditory perception in children with autism. The scientists observed atypical alpha rhythm activity both during sound perception and at rest. This suggests that these children experience abnormalities in the early stages of sound processing in the brain's auditory cortex. Over time, these abnormalities can result in language difficulties. The study findings have been published in Brain Structure and Function.
Smartphones Not Used for Digital Learning among Russian School Students
Despite the widespread use of smartphones, teachers have not fully integrated them into the teaching and learning process, including for developing students' digital skills. Irina Dvoretskaya, Research Fellow at the HSE Institute of Education, has examined the patterns of mobile device use for learning among students in grades 9 to 11.
Working while Studying Can Increase Salary and Chances of Success
Research shows that working while studying increases the likelihood of employment after graduation by 19% and boosts salary by 14%. One in two students has worked for at least a month while studying full time. The greatest benefits come from being employed during the final years of study, when students have the opportunity to begin working in their chosen field. These findings come from a team of authors at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences.
Beauty in Details: HSE University and AIRI Scientists Develop a Method for High-Quality Image Editing
Researchers from theHSE AI Research Centre, AIRI, and the University of Bremen have developed a new image editing method based on deep learning—StyleFeatureEditor. This tool allows for precise reproduction of even the smallest details in an image while preserving them during the editing process. With its help, users can easily change hair colour or facial expressions without sacrificing image quality. The results of this three-party collaboration were published at the highly-cited computer vision conference CVPR 2024.
HSE Scientists Have Examined Potential Impact of Nuclear Power on Sustainable Development
Researchers at HSE University have developed a set of mathematical models to predict the impact of nuclear power on the Sustainable Development Index. If the share of nuclear power in the global energy mix increases to between 20% and 25%, the global Sustainable Development Index (SDI) is projected to grow by one-third by 2050. In scenarios where the share of nuclear power grows more slowly, the increase in the SDI is found to be lower. The study has been published in Nuclear Energy and Technology.
HSE Scientists Have Developed a New Model of Electric Double Layer
This new model accounts for a wide range of ion-electrode interactions and predicts a device's ability to store electric charge. The model's theoretical predictions align with the experimental results. Data on the behaviour of the electric double layer (EDL) can aid in the development of more efficient supercapacitors for portable electronics and electric vehicles. The study has been published in ChemPhysChem.
Psychologists from HSE University Discovered How Love for Animals Affects Relationships with People
Researchers from HSE University have identified a connection between attachment to pets and attitudes toward nature and other people. The study found that the more joy people derive from interacting with their pets, the more they want to help others. However, love for animals is not always associated with concern for nature. The findings were published in the Social Psychology and Society journal.
HSE Scientists Propose Using Heart Rate Analysis to Diagnose Anxiety and Depression
A group of scientists at HSE University have discovered how anxiety and depression can be diagnosed by analysing heart rate. It turns out that under mental stress, the heart rate of individuals with a predisposition to mental health disorders differs from that of healthy individuals, especially when performing more complex tasks. These changes in cardiovascular parameters can even be detected using a pulse oximeter or a smartwatch. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Researchers at HSE in St Petersburg Develop Superior Machine Learning Model for Determining Text Topics
Topic models are machine learning algorithms designed to analyse large text collections based on their topics. Scientists at HSE Campus in St Petersburg compared five topic models to determine which ones performed better. Two models, including GLDAW developed by the Laboratory for Social and Cognitive Informatics at HSE Campus in St Petersburg, made the lowest number of errors. The paper has been published in PeerJ Computer Science.
Narcissistic and Workaholic Leaders Guide Young Firms to Success
Scientists at HSE University—St. Petersburg studied how the founder's personal characteristics impact a young firm's performance. It turns out that a narcissist and workaholic who also fosters innovation will effectively grow their company. The paper has been published in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.