Effects of collaboration on the foreign language side effect: evidence from Chinese international students using a dual-task paradigm

When using a second language in problem-solving, “linguistic processing” and “thinking” occur simultaneously, consuming cognitive resources and reducing thinking ability compared to using a native language (i.e., foreign language side effect; FoLSE). In collaborative settings, cognitive load may increase due to the need to listen to others. This study examines the impact of collaboration on FoLSE. We employed a dual-task paradigm with a thinking task (calculation problems) to assess thinking ability and a language task (word chain games) to stimulate linguistic processing. Chinese international students (N = 82) participated in either a collaboration group (pairs or trios, alternating language tasks) or an individual group. The results, contrary to expectations, suggested that collaboration may reduce FoLSE. Specifically, when collaborating in a trio, the interference rate when using a foreign language was similar to using a native language. Thus, collaboration appears to mitigate the foreign language effect. The findings may inform the design of collaborative learning environments and multilingual workplace communication strategies aimed at reducing the FoLSE and enhancing cognitive efficiency.