Simultaneous interpreting (SI) is an intensive multitasking activity that requires coordination of a variety of linguistic and cognitive control mechanisms. Research has shown that interpreters perform better in tasks that require domain-general executive functions (EF), but the question remains whether such cognitive alternation is a result of interpreting experience or it reflects a selection bias that only cognitively capable people are recruited and trained to be interpreters. We examined the cognitive changes experienced by beginner-level students engaged in an intensive, two-week interpreting training programme. Our findings show that: (a) only cognitive flexibility was enhanced by training, together with improvement in SI performance; (b) the three EF subcomponents in their pre-existing forms negatively correlated with training gains; and (c) only pre-existing cognitive flexibility was positively associated with improvement in SI performance. Findings were discussed regarding the relationship between cognitive abilities and the early-stage acquisition of interpreting.

中文翻译：

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口译员的优势是礼物还是培训的效果？训练早期阶段的认知变化和解释习得


同声传译 （SI） 是一项密集的多任务处理活动，需要协调各种语言和认知控制机制。研究表明，口译员在需要领域执行功能 （EF） 的任务中表现更好，但问题仍然存在，这种认知交替是口译经验的结果，还是反映了一种选择偏差，即只有具有认知能力的人才会被招募和培训成为口译员。我们研究了参加为期两周的强化口译培训计划的初级学生所经历的认知变化。我们的研究结果表明：（a） 只有认知灵活性通过训练得到增强，同时 SI 表现也有所改善;（b） 三个 EF 子成分在其预先存在的形式中与训练增益呈负相关;（c） 只有预先存在的认知灵活性与 SI 表现的改善呈正相关。讨论了关于认知能力与早期口译习得之间关系的研究结果。