ToDo-Brain:  Remembering (to-do) intentions in the bilingual brain

Over 65% of the global population regularly uses two or more languages. Therefore, investigating the impact of bilingualism on memory is essential for understanding the challenges in our multilingual society. This project aims to understand how bilingual individuals recall future intentions (i.e., prospective memory-PM) in diverse linguistic contexts. ToDo-Brain focuses on the influence of the linguistic experience and the linguistic environment on the monitoring and retrieval processes underlying PM. Previous research has revealed language-dependent memory effects in episodic memory, however, these effects have never been investigated in PM. ToDo-Brain addresses this important gap by investigating whether the language itself might serve as a cue to either facilitate or hinder the monitoring and retrieval when remembering intentions. This collaborative project employs a pioneering methodology to shed light on the interplay between language and memory. By combining eye-tracking with electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and source localization analyses, ToDo-Brain includes two large studies to achieve the following research objectives (ROs): RO1. To unveil monitoring strategies due to language experience and language context, this project will test monolinguals and bilinguals in various PM tasks varying in nature (i.e., linguistic or visual); RO2. To explore the role of language as a memory cue that influences PM monitoring and retrieval, ToDo-Brain will manipulate language congruency between the encoding and retrieval phase of a PM task. This work will provide valuable theoretical and methodological insights into how language interacts with memory. Their results will be crucial for stakeholders facing the challenges of bilingualism such as educators, families, international companies, and policymakers. The project’s training program will also significantly benefit the candidate’s career development by equipping her with new scientific and transferable skills.