2026 Ellen Bialystok: Psychology Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Best Female Scientists	111	828	790	25	24	329	64832
Psychology	114	329	287	11	10	320	65981

Research.com Recognitions

2026 - Research.com Psychology in Canada Leader Award
2025 - Research.com Best Female Scientists Award
2023 - Research.com Psychology in Canada Leader Award
2022 - Research.com Psychology in Canada Leader Award
2010 - Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Prize, Canada Council
2003 - Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada Academy of Social Sciences

Overview

Ellen Bialystok is affiliated with York University in Canada and has contributed extensively to research in neuroscience and psychology, particularly focusing on bilingualism and cognitive function.

The main fields of their work include:

Neuroscience
Psychology

Subfields of study encompass:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental Health
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Physiology

The primary topics covered in their research are:

Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Reading and Literacy Development
Language Development and Disorders
Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Alzheimer's Disease Research and Treatments

Recent papers published by Ellen Bialystok include:

"How does bilingualism modify cognitive function? Attention to the mechanism" (2022, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review)
"Bilingualism: Pathway to Cognitive Reserve" (2021, Trends in Cognitive Sciences)
"Improvement in executive function for older adults through smartphone apps: a randomized clinical trial comparing language learning and brain training" (2021, Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition)
"Bilingualism contributes to reserve and working memory efficiency: Evidence from structural and functional neuroimaging" (2021, Neuropsychologia)
"Poorer clinical outcomes for older adult monolinguals when matched to bilinguals on brain health" (2021, Brain Structure and Function)

Ellen Bialystok frequently publishes alongside co-authors such as Howard Burton, John A. E. Anderson, John G. Grundy, Noelia Calvo, and Fergus I. M. Craik.

Their work is regularly featured in prominent publication venues including:

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Brain and Language
Neuropsychologia
Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders
Frontiers in Psychology

In addition to journal articles, Ellen Bialystok has published books, including "The Psychology of Bilingualism" (2020) through Open Agenda Publishing eBooks.

Recognized by professional organizations, Ellen Bialystok has received the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Prize from the Canada Council in 2010, and was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2003 within the Academy of Social Sciences.

Best Publications

Bilingualism in development : language, literacy, and cognition

Ellen Bialystok

4461
Citations
Bilingualism, Aging, and Cognitive Control: Evidence From the Simon Task.

Ellen Bialystok;Fergus I. M. Craik;Raymond Klein;Mythili Viswanathan

2473
Citations
Communication Strategies: A Psychological Analysis of Second-Language Use

Ellen Bialystok

1907
Citations
Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain

Ellen Bialystok;Fergus I.M. Craik;Gigi Luk

1897
Citations
Bilingualism: The good, the bad, and the indifferent*

Ellen Bialystok

1648
Citations
A Theoretical Model of Second Language Learning

Ellen Bialystok

1580
Citations
Cognitive Complexity and Attentional Control in the Bilingual Mind

Ellen Bialystok

1437
Citations
Attention and inhibition in bilingual children: evidence from the dimensional change card sort task

Ellen Bialystok;Michelle M. Martin

1415
Citations
Bilingualism as a protection against the onset of symptoms of dementia.

Ellen Bialystok;Fergus I.M. Craik;Morris Freedman

1399
Citations
Cognitive control and lexical access in younger and older bilinguals.

Ellen Bialystok;Fergus Craik;Gigi Luk

1351
Citations
Cognition through the lifespan: mechanisms of change.

Fergus I.M. Craik;Ellen Bialystok

1217
Citations
Receptive vocabulary differences in monolingual and bilingual children.

Ellen Bialystok;Gigi Luk;Kathleen F. Peets;Sujin Yang

1180
Citations
Levels of bilingualism and levels of linguistic awareness.

Ellen Bialystok

1138
Citations
Short-Term Music Training Enhances Verbal Intelligence and Executive Function

Sylvain Moreno;Ellen Bialystok;Raluca Barac;E. Glenn Schellenberg

992
Citations
The development of two types of inhibitory control in monolingual and bilingual children

Michelle M. Martin-Rhee;Ellen Bialystok

931
Citations
The Role of Conscious Strategies in Second Language Proficiency

Ellen Bialystok

922
Citations
Critical Evidence A Test of the Critical-Period Hypothesis for Second-Language Acquisition

Kenji Hakuta;Ellen Bialystok;Edward Wiley

915
Citations
Language Processing in Bilingual Children

Ellen Bialystok

907
Citations
Bilingualism is not a categorical variable: Interaction between language proficiency and usage

Gigi Luk;Ellen Bialystok

894
Citations
The Bilingual Adaptation: How Minds Accommodate Experience

Ellen Bialystok

871
Citations
Bilingualism, Biliteracy, and Learning to Read: Interactions Among Languages and Writing Systems

Ellen Bialystok;Gigi Luk;Ernest Kwan

823
Citations
Bilingualism in development

Ellen Bialystok

341
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Fergus I. M. Craik University of Toronto

Sylvain Moreno Simon Fraser University

Cheryl L. Grady University of Toronto

Judith F. Kroll University of California, Irvine

Linda Clare University of Exeter

Morris Freedman University of Toronto

Claude Alain University of Toronto

Christopher J. Whitaker Bangor University

Diane Poulin-Dubois Concordia University

Angela K. Troyer University of Toronto

External Links

Personal website of Ellen Bialystok

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying psychology in the USA opens doors to a diverse range of online degree opportunities and career pathways. Many students who start with psychology are interested in helping professions, and social work is a common next step. Online social work degrees make advanced education accessible, allowing students to continue working or managing other responsibilities.

For those in California, top online social work programs in California offer flexible study options and robust training in key areas like clinical practice and policy analysis. If you aspire to the highest academic credentials, explore the best online social work doctorate degrees in the US to prepare for advanced research, leadership, or teaching roles.

Students in the southeastern states can benefit from the best online social work degree programs in Florida, which are designed for aspiring social workers in both public and private sectors. Additionally, the top online social work programs in Massachusetts provide specialized tracks and practicum experiences that bridge academic study with real-world impact. Explore these pathways to build a meaningful and flexible career rooted in psychology and service.