Mikael André Albrecht

• Albrecht, Mikael André; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2026). Predicting Bilingual Performance: Effects of Subjective and Objective Measures of Bilingual Profile. International Journal of Bilingualism. ISSN 1367-0069. doi: 10.1177/13670069261486216. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aims and objectives: This study seeks to test the inferential properties of self-reported measures of language profile on performance. We hypothesise that well-powered dimension reduction techniques (in this study, principal component analysis or PCA) will perform well in predictive performance on language processing tests. Method: The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire was administered to 262 Norwegian–English bilingual respondents. A subset of 64 participants also completed the following measures of individual differences: (a) LexTALE as a proficiency measure, (b) a morphosyntactic error judgement task, (c) two verbal fluency tasks (semantic and phonemic), (d) a non-linguistic task-switching measure of domain-general executive control. Data and Analyses: The sample size permitted a well-powered PCA of 26 variables, identifying seven principal components: (a) English Use, (b) English Later AoA, (c) English Learning and Proficiency, (d) English Media Exposure, (e) Foreign Pronunciation in English, (f) Language Mixing and (g) Overall Language Proficiency. Scores were extracted for the subset of 64 participants, and regression analyses were conducted for each objective task using the self-report-based component scores as predictors. All components predicted performance on at least one task, except for English Later AoA and English Media Exposure. These results demonstrate consistent relationships between self-reported and behavioural measures and underscore the utility of PCA component loadings as inferential predictors in bilingualism research. Originality: The study shows clear and sensible relationships between subjective measures and performance even following dimension reduction. The study highlights the importance of individual differences and lends further credence to the use of self-reported measures for bilingual research. Significance/Implications: Given the variability across bilingual populations, we advocate for the broader inferential use of self-reported measures and application of PCA in multilingual research to better capture the underlying dimensions of language experience and proficiency and their predictive abilities.

• Möller-Omrani, Christine; Haugen, Kaja; Bader, Monika & Albrecht, Mikael André (2025). The development of metalinguistic awareness in the early stages of formal language education. Language Awareness. ISSN 0965-8416. doi: 10.1080/09658416.2025.2600984. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Motivated by a complex-dynamic systems (CDS) perspective, this longitudinal study explored metalinguistic awareness (MLA) and its development in the early stages of formal schooling. MLA is understood as using knowledge about language at a point in real time. Elementary school children in Norway (N=169) were administered two parallel versions of a new MLA-test: at the beginning (age 7–8) and end of grade 3 (age 8–9), and at the end of grade 4 (age 9–10). This comprehensive test encompasses phonological, lexical, and grammatical MLA, along with a cross-linguistic dimension. At the macro-level of the group, we found a significant linear growth of MLA over the two school years, despite some differences among the subdimensions. At the micro-level, profile plots revealed considerable variability in individual development, suggesting both a non-linear growth pattern and an asymmetrical development within the sample. These findings advance theoretical discussions on MLA by highlighting (1) the interplay between individual developmental pathways and group-level trends, and (2) the applicability of a CDS-guided approach to studying MLA. Ultimately, the study underscores the necessity of considering both macro and micro perspectives in understanding MLA development, particularly in educational contexts.

View all works in NVA

• Albrecht, Mikael André (2025). Psykolingvistikk. In Nossum, Rolf Tomas (Eds.), Agder Vitenskapsakademis årbok 2024. Agder Vitenskapsakademi. ISSN 9788269402803. p. 79–85. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André; Segaert, Katrien; Fernandes, Eunice Gomes; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2025). Fluency and complexity in speech production: effects of healthy ageing. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2024). Producing cognate picture names: Effects of bilingual profile, proficiency, and cross-linguistic overlap. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2024). Language similarity in bilingual word retrieval: effects of individual differences in L2 proficiency and inhibitory control. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2023). Bilingual Sentence Planning: Linguistic and Cognitive Effects on Grammatical Planning Scope. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2023). Bilingual Sentence Planning: Linguistic and Cognitive Effects on Grammatical Planning Scope. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André; Wetterlin, Allison Louise & Wheeldon, Linda Ruth (2023). What the Eyes Reveal about Planning Scope and Cognitive Load in Bilingual Sentence Production. Full text in Research Archive
• Albrecht, Mikael André (2023). Bilingual Sentence Production Effects of Language Structure, Bilingual Profile, and Cognitive Load. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284271644. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  When producing sentences, speakers plan up to a certain point prior to the onset of speech and plan the rest of the sentence incrementally while speaking. The amount planned prior to speech onset is called the planning scope. The scope of planning varies depending on both linguistic and cognitive factors. This thesis examines the preferred planning scope in bilinguals and whether it varies between languages, depending on the added difficulty of language switching, and the degree of overlap in structure between speakers’ languages. The project also examines the role of between-speaker differences in bilingual profile (e. g., language proficiency and exposure) on language production and the relationship between subjective and objective measures of these differences. The sample comprised 64 Norwegian-English bilinguals who described scenes containing moving pairs of pictures in both of their languages. These scenes were designed to elicit two different sentence structures. That is, sentences either began with an complex phrase (e. g., "[an A and a B] go up") or a simple phrase (e. g., "[An a] goes above a B"). Furthermore, structural overlap was manipulated by varying the definiteness of the sentences with Norwegian and English indefinite noun phrases being more structurally similar than definite NPs. Participants were required to switch between their languages, and participants provided subjective and objective measures of bilingual profile. Speech onset latencies and eye-fixations were recorded for each participant. The results show that participants took longer to initiate speech for complex-initial sentences and the eye-fixation data confirmed this to be due to participants planning the second noun more thoroughly on such trials. The results also reveal that the added cognitive load of required language switching reduce speakers’ lexical planning scope. Morphosyntax affected production independently of switching, but the results imply that this effect is not attributable to cognitive load. Overall, the results show that the initial phrase of a sentence modulates structural planning scope while cognitive load in the form of required language switching affects later planning processes as speakers approach speech onset.

View all works in NVA