Using virtual reality technology as a method for assessing executive functions of bilinguals in ecological settings

Abstract

The bilingual advantage hypothesis suggests that bilingualism leads to enhanced executive functions. However, recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have reported inconsistent results. The variability in tasks used to measure executive functions may contribute to this inconsistency. This paper discusses the use of virtual reality (VR) technology as a method for assessing the executive functions of bilinguals in ecological settings. It also explores the relationship between executive functions and bilingual language experience. The study sample consisted of 114 bilinguals (23.2% male) aged 18 to 33 years (M = 20.34; SD = 2.71), who spoke either Adyghe (N = 49) or Tatar (N = 66) in addition to Russian. Cognitive flexibility, working memory, and planning were assessed using the Nesplora Ice Cream test system in a virtual environment. Bilingual language experience was measured using the language entropy method. This study is one of the first to demonstrate the feasibility of using VR technology to assess bilinguals’ executive functions in ecological settings. Given the novelty of the instrument, further research, including studies involving different age groups, is needed to establish its reliability.