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:
HSE Researchers Uncover Causes of Gender Pay Gap among Recent University Graduates in Russia
A study conducted at HSE University shows that despite having the same education and similar starting conditions, the pay gap between male and female recent graduates can be as high as 22%. This is partly because female students often choose less lucrative fields and also because they tend to seek jobs in sectors that offer lower pay but are perceived to have more stable and safer working conditions.
Scientists at HSE University Devise More Accurate Method for Predicting the Electrical Conductivity of Electrolyte Solutions
Researchers at HSE MIEM have developed a model for calculating the electrical conductivity of aqueous electrolyte solutions; for the first time, it considers the spatial distribution of ion charges instead of assuming their localisation at a single point. The model remains effective even at high electrolyte concentrations and across a wide temperature range. This breakthrough will contribute to the development of more efficient batteries and enable the calculation of electrical conductivity without the need for experimental testing. The study has been published in the Journal of Chemical Physics.
Russian Scientists Integrate Microdisk Laser and Waveguide on a Single Substrate
A group of Russian scientists led by Professor Natalia Kryzhanovskaya at HSE Campus in St Petersburg has been researching microdisk lasers with an active region based on arsenide quantum dots. For the first time, researchers have successfully developed a microdisk laser coupled with an optical waveguide and a photodetector on a single substrate. This design enables the implementation of a basic photonic circuit on the same substrate as the radiation source (microlaser). In the future, this will help speed up data transfer and reduce equipment weight without compromising quality. The study results have been published in Semiconductors.
Scientists Disprove Bunkbed Conjecture
Mathematicians from Russia, including two HSE graduates, have disproven a well-known mathematical conjecture that, despite lacking solid proof, had been considered valid for 40 years. The ‘Bunkbed Conjecture’ belongs to percolation theory—a branch of mathematics that studies the formation of connected structures in independent environments.
Men Behind the Wheel: Three Times More Violations and Accidents than Women
Men are three times more likely than women to commit traffic violations while driving and to be involved in accidents. Moreover, they are more likely to create situations on the road that are highly dangerous to others. Men are also twice as likely to drive under the influence and nearly one-third more likely to receive a prison sentence for reckless driving. Perhaps it comes down to cultural norms and the different attitudes men and women have toward driving. These are the conclusions reached by Anton Kazun, Assistant Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, and Research Assistant Mikhail Belov.
HSE Scientists Discover How to Predict Charitable Behaviour Through Physiological Reactions
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have investigated how the emotional impact of advertising affects the amount people willing to donate to support animal welfare. To accomplish this, the researchers measured physiological responses such as heart rate, electrodermal activity, and facial expressions in individuals viewing various photos of dogs. The findings indicate that willingness to donate is most accurately predicted by heart rate and facial muscle activation. The study has been published in Social Psychology.
'We Are Creating the Medicine of the Future'
Dr Gerwin Schalk is a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai and a partner of the HSE Centre for Language and Brain within the framework of the strategic project 'Human Brain Resilience.' Dr Schalk is known as the creator of BCI2000, a non-commercial general-purpose brain-computer interface system. In this interview, he discusses modern neural interfaces, methods for post-stroke rehabilitation, a novel approach to neurosurgery, and shares his vision for the future of neurotechnology.
First Successful Attempt in 55 years: Physicists in Russia and Germany Confirm 1969 Experiment Results
A team of researchers, with the participation of physicists from HSE University, replicated the 1969 experiment on superconductivity and its properties. The scientists induced superconductivity by deliberately deteriorating the interfaces between the layers of superconductors and ferromagnets in the system, resulting in better performance of spin valves compared to the classical version, where the interfaces between the layers are ideal. This approach could lead to the development of more efficient devices for data storage and computing. The study findings have been published in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology.
Healthy Nutrition Saves Public Funds: Strategies to Reduce Healthcare Costs in Russia
In Russia, the annual cost of treating type 2 diabetes alone exceeds 500 billion roubles. Promoting healthy nutrition programmes can ease the burden on the healthcare system and increase life expectancy. This was the conclusion reached by economists at HSE University after analysing global experiences with government involvement in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Conscientious Individuals Live Longer
Personality traits such as conscientiousness, emotional stability, and an internal locus of control significantly influence one's lifestyle and longevity. Not only can personality traits influence health through beneficial and harmful habits but can also have a direct effect on mortality. Higher conscientiousness reduces the risk of premature death by 20 percentage points, while higher neuroticism increases it by 12 percentage points. These are the findings from a new study by Ksenia Rozhkova, Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Labour Market Studies of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences.