Is multilingualism linked to a higher tolerance of ambiguity?

TLDR

The study examines whether multilingualism is associated with higher tolerance of ambiguity in 2158 participants. Multilinguals exhibit higher tolerance of ambiguity than monolinguals or bilinguals, with greater language proficiency and longer stays abroad further boosting this trait, while growing up in a multilingual family has no effect, suggesting a bidirectional relationship between multilingualism and ambiguity tolerance.

Abstract

The present study investigates the link between multilingualism and the personality trait Tolerance of Ambiguity (TA) among 2158 mono-, bi- and multilinguals. Monolinguals and bilinguals scored significantly lower on TA compared to multilinguals. A high level of global proficiency of various languages was linked to higher TA scores. A stay abroad of more than three months was also linked to higher TA although the effect levelled off after one year. Growing up in a multilingual family had no effect on TA. These findings show that a high level of multilingualism makes individuals more at ease in dealing with ambiguity, but we acknowledge that a higher level of TA can also strengthen an individual's inclination to become multilingual.