Bilingual research often relies on flawed comparisons to monolingual speakers
In short: Researchers studying bilingualism have historically used monolingual speakers as a standard for comparison. However, a paper in Applied Psycholinguistics argues that this practice, known as monolingual comparative normativity, fails to provide true empirical control and can actually hinder scientific progress and equity in the field.
The authors critique the standard practice of juxtaposing bilinguals against monolinguals, suggesting this approach fails to meet the scientific method's requirements for empirical control. They propose that moving toward new methodological alternatives can improve rigor and foster more inclusive research.
Because this is a theoretical critique, the authors do not present new experimental data but rather offer epistemological arguments and alternative frameworks for the field.
Why it matters: Rethinking how we use monolingual benchmarks could lead to more accurate and equitable linguistics research.
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