Bilinguals have better recall for code-switched information

doi:10.3758/s13423-025-02823-1

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Bilinguals have better recall for code-switched information

2026-02-11

Lauren K. Salig *

Jorge R. Valdés Kroff

Jared M. Novick

L. Robert Slevc

DOI：10.3758/s13423-025-02823-1

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Abstract

En 中文

Bilinguals frequently code-switch during conversations—a behavior often viewed as creating processing challenges for listeners. However, code-switching may also enhance comprehension and memory by directing attention to key information. This study tested whether bilinguals recall information better in code-switched contexts compared with single-language contexts and explored whether code-switching experience amplifies this benefit. In a preregistered study, Spanish–English bilinguals listened to short vignettes containing both single-language and code-switched segments. Participants recalled details more accurately when they had been presented within a code-switched sentence, suggesting that switches act as cues that boost attention and memory encoding. Moreover, bilinguals with greater everyday code-switching experience showed the strongest recall benefits, supporting the idea that listeners learn to associate switches with communicative importance. These findings challenge the long-standing view that code-switching primarily imposes cognitive costs in comprehension. Instead, they reveal how bilinguals leverage the communicative value of code-switches to enhance memory for linguistic content. By demonstrating that code-switches can promote learning and retention, this study highlights the potential for code-switching to serve as a communicative tool, particularly in contexts where understanding and recalling information is critical.

Keywords:

Bilingualism

Code-switching

Comprehension

Memory

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