Gutenberg Open Science

The Open Science Repository of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

Visible. Citable. Open.

Recent Submissions

  • Item type: Item , DissertationAccess status: Open Access ,
    “We never use the same brain twice” – How does interpreting training affect plasticity in domain-general cognitive control? A longitudinal EEG-study
    (2025) Habig, Ann-Kathrin; Hansen-Schirra, Silvia
    The aim of this dissertation is to examine how simultaneous interpreting training as a context where extreme language control is needed affects the three main executive functions of inhibition, switching and working memory updating. To this end, this dissertation examines the basis of brain plasticity and learning in a linguistic context, defines executive functions and their role in bilingual language processing and highlights simultaneous interpreting as a modality of bilingualism that clearly taxes both language control as well as executive functions. By emphasizing how interpreters use interpreting-specific competences to deal with the increased control demands and depicting the processes of interpreting competence acquisition in interpreting training, a parallel to general skill acquisition processes from the cognitive sciences is drawn. To conclude the theoretical background, relevant studies from cognitive bilingualism studies as well as cognitive translation and interpreting studies on the impact of simultaneous interpreting on executive functions are presented. Based on these theoretical underpinnings, the methodology and results of a longitudinal event-related potential study are presented. The performance in three executive function tasks of a group of interpreting students was compared to translation students at baseline before their respective Master studies. The performance of the interpreting group was then tested subsequently at the end of every semester for four semesters until the end of their Master studies of Conference Interpreting while event-related potential data was also collected. The event-related potential data was triangulated with behavioural data as well as competence data. The rare combination of a longitudinal design that goes beyond pre- and post-tests and was paired with the neuroscientific method of electroencephalography allows for a much more fine-grained look at how executive functions are affected by the process of learning how to interpret simultaneously. Results are presented as discussed in relation to previous research. The findings not only enrich the research landscape and knowledge base surrounding executive functions and language control by offering unique insights into temporal aspects of neural processes but also provide implications for the didactics of interpreting training. Finally, room for enhancement in the conducted study as well as opportunities for future research are discussed.
  • Item type: Item , DissertationAccess status: Open Access ,
  • Item type: Item , DissertationAccess status: Open Access ,