Schedule of Events | Symposia

Sketchpad Series

Neural Processing of Numerical Systems Across Languages: Insights from Korean Monolinguals and Mandarin-English Bilinguals

Poster Session E - Monday, March 31, 2025, 2:30 – 4:30 pm EDT, Back Bay Ballroom/Republic Ballroom

Elizabeth Oh¹ (edo2109@tc.columbia.edu), Kecen Pu², Christofer Lumban², Anny Zhang², Huanyi Ye², Shan An²; ¹Teachers College, Columbia University

This study investigates how the brain processes numerical systems within and across languages, focusing on Korean monolinguals and Mandarin-English bilinguals. Korean offers a unique opportunity to examine numerical cognition due to its dual number systems: Native Korean (NK), rarely used for arithmetic, and Sino-Korean (SK), predominantly employed for mathematical tasks. This dual system within one language mirrors bilingual experiences with less dominant languages (L2), yet differs in exposure and usage patterns, providing a novel context for exploring the interplay between language and numerical processing. Using an oddball paradigm, this study examines behavioral and neural responses to parity judgment tasks, targeting reaction times, accuracy rates, and event-related potential (ERP) components such as N1, P2, N2, and P3b. Monolingual participants will switch between NK and SK systems, while bilinguals will alternate between Mandarin and English. The study aims to recruit 30 participants (15 per group) to complete the tasks. Based on prior research, we predict increased reaction times and error rates during parity change conditions for both groups, with bilinguals incurring greater cognitive costs during language-switching trials. Enhanced N1 and P2 amplitudes are anticipated during language or system switches, reflecting heightened attentional demands. Increased N2 amplitudes during parity changes will highlight conflict monitoring processes, while larger P3b amplitudes in bilinguals are expected during transitions, reflecting schema updating and cognitive flexibility. By examining Korean monolinguals’ use of dual numerical systems alongside bilingual experiences, this study provides a unique perspective on the neural mechanisms underlying numerical cognition and language interaction.

Topic Area: LANGUAGE: Other