The Bilingual Heart: A Review of Cultural and Linguistic Influences on Emotions in Bilinguals

Growing evidence suggests that bilingualism influences cognitive processes, including decision-making, emotional expression, and emotion perception. Bilinguals often experience and express emotions differently depending on the language they are using, with their first language (L1) evoking stronger emotional responses than their foreign language (LX). Additionally, for psychiatric patients, using LX may reduce symptoms and can help access traumatic memories. However, the mechanisms underlying the reduced emotionality in LX are not fully understood. While language-related factors such as age of acquisition, proficiency, context of learning, and frequency of use have been linked to reduced emotional resonance in LX, some researchers argue that differences in emotional expression and perception may stem from the emotion display rules associated with each language. The studies reviewed in this paper highlight the significant role of both language and culture, suggesting that future research should explore their interplay in bilingual cognition and emotion perception.