Over recent decades, substantial efforts have been dedicated to developing methods that delve into the intricacies of cognition, particularly aspects that aren’t readily observable. These methods often referred to as implicit measures, infer mental content from performance-based tasks, providing insight into hypothesized cognitive functions or processes without relying on self-assessment.
Implicit measures offer an alternative to explicit measures, which are susceptible to various biases and limitations. In the field of language research, the choice of measurement tools is of paramount importance, as accurately assessing an individual’s linguistic abilities, irrespective of age or cognitive abilities, is critical for understanding cognitive processes and brain health.
However, linguistic knowledge, especially regarding one’s first language (L1), is often implicit and challenging to articulate explicitly. Existing methods in theoretical linguistics often employ an explicit intermediary to assess linguistic knowledge. These methods typically involve metalinguistic abilities, where individuals are asked to make grammatical judgments about utterances.
However, this approach has limitations, as it may not fully capture the implicit linguistic knowledge that individuals possess. This study seeks to expand upon previous work by exploring the relationship between Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and linguistic knowledge rather than cognitive function related to language. Additionally, it explores the role of grammar in language proficiency, a dimension often overlooked in previous studies.Â
The study enrolled 41 healthy native speakers of British English, including 21 females, aged 18 to 44 (M = 21.9, SD = 6.4). None of the participants had been diagnosed with learning difficulties or cardiac rhythm issues. In an error detection task presented as a speech rating task, participants assessed the density of grammatical errors in accented speech. The research focused on participants’ overall performance in this task, considering the varying levels of grammatical errors against the background of accent.Â
The study introduces a novel approach by investigating acute HRV reactivity to specific linguistic stimuli. Previous studies primarily examined resting-state HRV and its relationship with cognitive function. However, this research delves into how HRV reacts to linguistic stimuli. The findings show that deviations from linguistic normality trigger distinct cardiovascular reactions, revealing implicit linguistic knowledge in individuals without the need for explicit articulation.Â
This study establishes a unique link between Heart Rate Variability and implicit linguistic knowledge. It demonstrates that the autonomic nervous system’s activity, as measured by HRV, can serve as an indicator of individuals’ implicit linguistic knowledge. When confronted with linguistic abnormalities, the physiological response, as indicated by HRV, provides insights into an individual’s linguistic comprehension and knowledge.Â
Moreover, the study opens up a new avenue in understanding the intricate relationship between physiology and cognition. It suggests that cognitive effort and linguistic processing are intricately intertwined, impacting the physiological system in ways not previously fully recognized.
Importantly, the use of HRV recordings is non-intrusive and portable, allowing for potential applications in natural environments and with a broader range of populations, enhancing the ecological validity and representativeness of findings. This approach is promising for research in both clinical and non-clinical settings, offering new insights into the connection between physiology and cognitive processes.Â
Journal Reference Â
Dagmar Divjak et al, Physiological responses and cognitive behaviors: Measures of heart rate variability index language knowledge, Journal of Neurolinguistics (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroling.2023.101177Â
