Each year\, the Quinn Memorial Lecture brings together the UB
C Psychology community and friends for an evening of dialogue and inspirati
on.Dr. Ellen Bialystok\, Distinguished Research Profe ssor of Psychology at York University.
Lifelong B ilingualism: Reshaping Mind and Brain
All our experi ences contribute to the way our minds and brains develop\, but intense expe riences have a special role in shaping our cognitive systems. As humans\, n o experience is more intense or pervasive than our use of language\, so a l ifetime of learning and using (at least) two languages has the potential to leave a profound mark on human cognition. A large body of research conduct ed with people at all stages in the lifespan\, from infancy to old age\, sh ows that the experience of being actively bilingual reshapes the mind and b rain. Beginning with infants exposed to two languages at home and ending wi th older adults coping with dementia and neurodegenerative disease\, cognit ive and brain outcomes are different for monolinguals and bilinguals. These differences are generally in the direction of more precocious development for bilingual children and more protection against cognitive decline for bi lingual older adults. This talk will review the evidence from these studies and propose an explanation for how exposure to and use of two languages le ads to these cognitive and brain consequences.
Ellen Bial ystok is a Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology and Walter Gordon York Research Chair of Lifespan Cognitive Development at York University. She is also an Associate Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Her research uses both behavioral and n euroimaging methods to examine the effect of experience on cognitive proces ses across the lifespan\, with most attention on the effect of bilingualism . Participants in these studies include children\, younger and older adults \, and patients\, in an attempt to identify the mechanism by which experien ce modifies cognitive systems. She has published extensively in the form of books\, scientific articles\, and book chapters. She is a fellow of the Ro yal Society of Canada\, Society for Experimental Psychology\, American Psyc hological Society\, and other professional organizations. Among her awards are the Canadian Society for Brain Behaviour and Cognitive Science Hebb Awa rd (2011)\, Killam Prize for the Social Sciences (2010)\, York University P resident’s Research Award of Merit (2009)\, Donald T. Stuss Award for Resea rch Excellence at the Baycrest Geriatric Centre (2005)\, Dean’s Award for O utstanding Research (2002)\, Killam Research Fellowship (2001)\, and the Wa lter Gordon Research Fellowship (1999). In 2016\, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for her contributions to our understanding bilingual ism and for opening up new avenues of research in her field.
Th e annual Quinn Memorial Lecture is made possible by a generous gift to our department from prominent alumnus\, Dr. Michael J. Quinn (1927-2004). The e vent showcases leading-edge research that has theoretical\, as well as prac tical significance\, in the areas of consciousness\, cognition\, and memory . It brings together UBC Psychology faculty\, students\, staff\, alumni and friends for an evening of dialogue.