"The Cognitive Advantage of Bilingualism: Strengthening Memory and Predictive Abilities"

Bilingual individuals have an advantage in memory retention and word prediction due to the "competing words" effect. The same neural apparatus processes both languages in bilinguals, activating competing words from both languages. Bilinguals with high proficiency in their second language show enhanced memory and prediction abilities compared to monolinguals and bilinguals with low second-language proficiency. Eye-tracking data supports the claim that bilinguals focus longer on objects with overlapping word sounds, leading to improved memory retention. Bilingualism enhances basic cognitive functions such as memory and categorization.