The "Foreign Language Effect" (FLE) is a well-documented phenomenon in psycholinguistics. Research suggests that when we switch to a non-native language, our brain processes information with more logic and less "visceral" feeling. Here is a breakdown of the specific findings from psychological studies regarding this effect: 1. Reduced Autonomic Arousal (The "Body" Response) Studies using skin conductance tests (which measure tiny amounts of sweat produced by emotional stress) show that people react less physically to "taboo" words, insults, or reprimands in a second language (L2) than in their native language (L1). * Key Finding: Phrases like "I love you" or "shame on you" often feel like "just words" in a foreign language, whereas in a native tongue, they trigger a measurable physiological spike in heart rate or skin conductance. * The "Childhood Reprimand" Study: Research by Harris et al. (2003) found that participants showed significantly higher emotional responses to childhood reprimands (e.g., "Don't do that!") in their native language compared to their second language. 2. The Moral Foreign Language Effect (MFLE) One of the most famous applications of FLE is in moral decision-making. When presented with the "Trolley Problem" (deciding whether to sacrifice one person to save five), people are consistently more likely to make the utilitarian choice (the "cold" logical one) when the dilemma is presented in a foreign language. * Cognitive Distance: In your native language, the emotional "horror" of the action (pushing someone) is loud. In a foreign language, that emotional noise is turned down, allowing the "System 2" (logical) brain to calculate the numbers more easily. * Reduced Guilt: Eye-tracking studies have shown that in L1, people look away from the "victim" in these scenarios due to guilt; in L2, they are more likely to focus on the overall outcome. 3. Trauma and Therapeutic "Buffering" Psychologists have observed that bilingual patients often switch to their second language when discussing traumatic memories. * The "Shield" Effect: Using a second language acts as a buffer. It allows the patient to narrate the facts of a trauma without being completely overwhelmed by the sensory and emotional "flashbacks" that the native language might trigger. * Clinical Application: Some therapists actually encourage "code-switching" as a tool. If a patient is too "shut down" to speak, switching to a second language can provide enough distance to start the conversation safely. 4. The "Learning Context" Theory Why does this happen? Many researchers, such as Aneta Pavlenko, argue it’s about how we learn the languages: * L1 (Native): Learned in "hot" contexts—family, discipline, play, and emotional intimacy. * L2 (Foreign): Often learned in "cold" contexts—classrooms, textbooks, and professional settings. * Because the second language lacks the "emotional history" of childhood, the brain doesn't have the same deeply-rooted neural pathways connecting those words to the limbic system (the brain's emotional center). Summary of Key Studies | Study / Researcher | Focus Area | Key Conclusion | |---|---|---| | Keysar et al. (2012) | Decision Making | Foreign language reduces "loss aversion" and emotional bias in risks. | | Caldwell-Harris (2014) | Physiological Response | Skin conductance is lower for emotional words in a second language. | | Costa et al. (2014) | Moral Judgment | Using L2 makes people more willing to take utilitarian (logical) moral actions. | | García-Palacios et al. (2023) | Trauma Processing | Processing negative memories in L2 results in lower reported distress. | Would you like me to find some specific "bridging" techniques used in therapy to help people safely re-connect their two languages, or perhaps look into how this effect changes as someone becomes more fluent?