Bilinguals have better recall for code-switched information

Bilinguals frequently code-switch during conversations, a behavior often viewed as creating processing challenges for listeners. However, code-switching may also enhance comprehension and memory by directing attention to key information. This study tested whether bilinguals recall information better in code-switched contexts compared to single-language contexts and explored whether code-switching experience amplifies this benefit. In a pre-registered study, Spanish-English bilinguals listened to short vignettes containing both single-language and code-switched segments. Participants recalled details more accurately when they had been presented within a code-switched sentence, suggesting that switches act as cues that boost attention and memory encoding. Moreover, bilinguals with greater everyday code-switching experience showed the strongest recall benefits, supporting the idea that listeners learn to associate switches with communicative importance. These findings challenge the long-standing view that code-switching primarily imposes cognitive costs in comprehension. Instead, they reveal how bilinguals leverage the communicative value of code-switches to enhance memory for linguistic content. By demonstrating that code-switches can promote learning and retention, this study highlights the potential for code-switching to serve as a communicative tool, particularly in contexts where understanding and recalling information is critical.