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The foreign language effect on altruistic decision making: Insights from the framing effect

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2022

Cong Liu Open the ORCID record for Cong Liu [Opens in a new window] ,
Han Wang ,
Kalinka Timmer  and
Lu Jiao
Cong Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Normal College & School of Teacher Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
Han Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Normal College & School of Teacher Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
Kalinka Timmer
Affiliation:
Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland Psychology of Language and Bilingualism Lab, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Lu Jiao*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Normal College & School of Teacher Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
*
Author for correspondence: Lu Jiao, Department of Psychology, Qingdao University, No. 308, Ningxia R., Qingdao, 266071, China E-mail: jiaolu902@126.com
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Abstract

The present study investigated the foreign language effect within an altruistic decision making process. Chinese–English bilinguals made altruistic decisions in their native (L1: Chinese) and second language (L2: English). The decisions were framed in two ways: either as “not to harm” (harm frame) or as “to help” the other person (help frame) at one's economic cost. Behavioral results suggest that bilinguals might behave more altruistically in the harm frame than the help frame (i.e., framing effect) in their native language but not in their foreign language. Electrophysiological results show that the modulation of the framing effect in the native versus foreign language originated in the early ERP components (N1 and N2) and did not present in the late positive potential (LPP). These findings suggest the foreign language effect most likely results from the reduced emotional reaction in a foreign compared to the native language.

Keywords

foreign language effectaltruistic decision makingbilingualsERPs
Type
Research Article
Information
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition , Volume 25 , Issue 5 , November 2022 , pp. 890 - 898
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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