Inhibitory control serves as a vital function for problem-solving and decision-making in daily life, enabling individuals to replace automatic reactions with more thoughtful responses. Research indicates that bilingual children and adolescents exhibit advantages in conflict resolution tasks, demonstrating sharper inhibitory control, or improved mental regulation over impulsive reactions.
The Michaelis Portuguese dictionary defines inhibition as the act or effect of inhibiting oneself, a mental and psychological condition that limits action, creating hesitation and resistance, and even prohibiting certain acts or feelings.
Pollyanna Batista, a doctor in applied health sciences from UFMG, emphasizes the importance of inhibitory control as a crucial executive function for managing attention, thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. This skill is particularly essential for children and youth, aiding in distraction avoidance and impulse control, which are vital for cognitive learning and development.
The paper titled The Influence of Cross-Speaker Code-Switching and Language Ability on Inhibitory Control in Bilingual Children by Emily Hansen, Caitlyn Slawny, and Margarita Kaushanskaya explored how children with advanced language skills exhibited superior inhibitory control, suggesting that the ability to manage language switching is linked to enhanced cognitive control.
For children with lower language skills, no association was found between language switching and inhibitory control. The study reinforced the notion that bilingualism can enhance certain aspects of cognitive development, better preparing children for intellectual challenges.
The article Inhibitory Control Facilitates Learning New Knowledge Based on Existing Knowledge in Cross-Linguistic Word Contexts, published by Zilan Zou and Baoguo Chen, investigates how bilingualism positively influences inhibitory control in children, helping them develop more refined control.
In this study, researchers asked bilingual children to learn new meanings of ambiguous words and observed that those with greater inhibitory control could learn these new meanings more efficiently.
The article Recruitment of Global Language Inhibitory Control and Cognitive-General Control Mechanisms in Comprehending Language Switches: Evidence from Eye Movements by Ana Schwartz, José Negron, and Colin Escola examined eye movements to understand how bilinguals handle language switches during text comprehension.
The study suggested that bilingualism not only enhances the ability to switch between languages but also strengthens general cognitive skills, such as attention and focus, assisting individuals in managing complex tasks and solving problems more effectively.
Practical benefits of enhanced inhibitory control in youth and children have been noted by psychoanalyst and educational manager Julimar Falconiere, who states, 'The practical benefits of improved inhibitory control are extensive. Children learning a second language tend to be more focused and disciplined, skills that translate into better academic performance, greater problem-solving capacity, and enhanced concentration.'
Writer Fabiano Martins Reis, a member of ALUZ - Academia Luziense de Letras e Artes (Santa Luzia-MG), adds, 'Outside of school, inhibitory control has practical implications in daily life. Young individuals with well-developed skills are better able to manage their emotions and impulses, leading to improved decision-making in social situations. The ability to resist the urge to constantly check social media, for instance, can help young people maintain a more productive study routine.'
Economist and writer Diercio Ferreira, franchisee of the Yázigi Pampulha language school in Belo Horizonte, justifies that 'language learning for children from the age of three offers benefits such as the ability to develop strong inhibitory control, equipping them with essential skills to face challenges in a constantly changing world, thus preparing them for a promising future.'