| The relationship among language proficiency, learning mode, learning style, and cognition was investigated. Language proficiency was determined by a language survey questionnaire. Multilinguals were also grouped according to the age at which they acquired the second language: early (before age 12) and late (after age 12). Learning mode and style were defined according to the Kolb Learning Style Inventory which measured the respondents' relative use of four learning modes: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Combining learning mode scores yielded learning styles of diverger, assimilator, converger, and accommodator. Abstract cognitive performance was measured in terms of the subjects' analogy-solving ability as demonstrated on the 100-item practice Miller Analogies Test (PMAT).;Among the 227 subjects, there were 17 monolinguals, 120 partial multilinguals, and 90 competent multilinguals. Because of the small number of monolingual subjects, monolinguals and partial multilinguals were grouped together.;For the entire group of 227 respondents, knowledge of more than one language was not linked to improved analogy-solving performance. Subsidiary analyses of subgroups of the respondents, however, indicated that knowledge of more than one language is associated with improved analogy-solving ability. Native speakers of English had significantly higher PMAT scores than native speakers of other languages, regardless of language proficiency. Among native speakers of English, however, competent multilinguals scored significantly higher on the PMAT than monolinguals/partial multilinguals. Finally, among competent multilinguals, native speakers of English scored significantly higher on the PMAT than nonnative speakers of English.;Learning modes were found to be significantly different: RO (reflective observation) scores were significantly lower for competent multilinguals than for monolinguals/partial multilinguals. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between learning mode RO and PMAT scores.;No significant difference was found for learning styles between monolinguals/partial multilinguals and competent multilinguals. There was no significant interaction effect of language proficiency and learning mode or style on analogy-solving ability.;The age at which a person acquires a second language was linked with the ability to solve analogies. Persons who acquired their second language late (after age 12) achieved higher PMAT scores than did those who acquired a second language before the age of 12. On the other hand, persons who acquired the second language early were more likely to be competent in both languages. The age at which a person acquired the second language, however, was not linked with learning mode or style. |
