False recognition with mixed language lists: Lexical code switching and verbatim /gist processing in Spanish /English bilinguals

Theories of bilingual lexical organization attempt to explain how the two languages of bilinguals are related in terms of usage. The "independent" explanation of bilingual organization argues that the two languages exist in separate storage systems and some processes enable speakers to access the appropriate language words. The "interdependent" explanation posits that bilinguals share a conceptual lexicon and that context relevant information, such as ambient language and culture, dictate which language is being spoken. This study attempted to evaluate the two theories by using the false memory paradigm technique of Deese (1959) and Roediger and McDermott (1995), where associate primes presented during study create false recognitions of nonstudied, semantically related test targets, and Brainerd's (1993) far versus near (gist versus verbatim) technique where false recognition of a related, nonstudied word, is evaluated based on the position of a priming word in relation to the nonstudied lure. Forty-eight Spanish/English bilingual participants were selected on the basis of their proficiency in both languages (equal proficiency was required). The study and test lists contained studied, primed and control words presented in Spanish and English and participants were evaluated based on their correct and false recognitions to these test words. To evaluate whether conceptual transfer occurred between the two languages, participants were primed with associates in one language and tested on the related lures in the other. Participants demonstrated typical false recognitions for primed words that were presented in the same language as the prime, as well as for associates that were tested in a different language then their primes. The outcome supports the "interdependent" theories of bilingual lexical organization because a transfer of information was observed across the two languages.