For bilinguals, a distinct personality for each language: study

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — People raised bilingually and biculturally often unconsciously adopt different behavior and personality traits, depending on which of their two languages they're speaking, according to a study released Thursday.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Baruch College in New York found that biculturals have "distinct cognitive frameworks associated with each of their cultures and languages" along with "different repertoires of values, and behaviors ... worldview and identities."

The study tracked 28 women who were biculturally American and either Mexican or Puerto Rican. All of the subjects were bilingual in Spanish and English, and with a high degree of assimilation in both cultures.

The study, published in the August 2008...