Does Bilingual Proficiency Affect Cultural Frame Switching? The Effect of Language on French-Polish Cultural Identity Among Warsaw University Students

In previous studies on acculturation of Poles in Francophone countries and French language students in Poland, the author found no directional link between bilingual proficiency (defined as bidirectional translation and oral comprehension), and bicultural identity (defined as cultural value endorsement).

In the present study we assessed: (i) French-Polish bilingualism using an oral comprehension task; (ii) implicit bicultural identity using the bilingual Implicit Attitude Task (Polish vs. French values); (iii) explicit bicultural identity using the Bicultural Identity Integration Scale and the Cultural Values and Scripts Questionnaire.

We speculate that cultural frame switching depends on language proficiency: French language students whose scores are the highest on French and Polish will harmoniously and congruently switch between Humanist vs. Liberal values depending on the language that was previously presented to them.

Keywords: Bilingualism, Acculturation, Bicultural Identity, Poland, France