Bilingualism and COVID-19: using a second language during a health crisis. (2nd January 2021) - Schroeder, Scott R.
ABSTRACT: Background: It is probable that billions of people have received information about COVID-19 in their second-acquired language (i.e. L2), given the global breadth of both bilingualism and the novel coronavirus. The use of an L2 could have relevance to a massive disease outbreak because L2 use influences the psychological processing of health information. Method: We conducted a search of the literature on the psychological effects of processing information in an L2. We included studies that examined how spoken and written processing of health- and disease-related information in an L2 influences (a) fear and anxiety, as indexed by physiological measures of emotional arousal, (b) decision-making, as measured by susceptibility to cognitive biases, and (c) language comprehension, as indexed by understanding complex information. In reviewing this literature, we engage in the thought experiment of contemplating what consequences these findings could have for a massive disease outbreak, such as COVID-19. Results: The research indicates that using an L2 decreases fear and anxiety (and thus could reduce the emotional response to a disease outbreak), increases rational decision-making (and thus could minimize disease-related cognitive biases), and decreases language comprehension (and thus could lower compliance to disease outbreak mitigation measures). Conclusions: When a bilingual listens to or reads information in their L2, it reliably affects their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in ways that are relevant to a health crisis. Health communication specialists therefore should take into account the mental effects of using a second language.