Psychology and French and Francophone studies major investigates bilingual identity

Inspired by her own bilingual experience as well as the stories of others, Anna Chapman ’25 chose to study French and Francophone studies and psychology at The College of Wooster. Excited by Wooster’s diverse community, she knew she wanted her Independent Study research to involve the student population. “I was curious why bilingual speakers, including myself and my friends, have reported feeling ‘different’ when switching from language to language, and I wanted to know why this occurred,” said Chapman, who also completed the global impacts pathway. Using her I.S. to examine the effects of bilingualism on personality, Chapman explored how languages may affect the psychology of an individual.

“My I.S. taught me to become more confident in my skills and abilities. It taught me to celebrate my work and to be proud in what I have accomplished and not to take these big accomplishments lightly.”
—Anna Chapman ’25

MY I.S.
Chapman: My I.S. explored French-English bilingual speakers and aimed to examine how and why bilingual speakers’ personality and self-perceptions shift when switching from language to language. For research, I surveyed 32 college students at Wooster.

EXCITING ASPECTS

Chapman: What excites me the most about my I.S. is learning how being bilingual can shape one’s self-perceptions and personality. Additionally, my I.S. adds to previous literature in personality psychology and looks at different populations previously not studied as much. I’m excited that this research helps bilingual speakers understand themselves more and asks them to question their own self-perceptions when they switch from language to language.

EMPOWERED IN MY FIELD

Chapman: The more I dove into my I.S. topic, the more passionate I became to give my subject justice and to give it the spotlight that it deserves, helping us to better understand what it means to be a bilingual speaker. This project helped me reflect on myself as a bilingual speaker, and it motivated me to do the best that I could on this project.

SUPPORTIVE SCOT COMMUNITY

Chapman: I am incredibly grateful for the support and encouragement I received from my advisors, Harry Gamble, Inez K. Gaylord Professor of French and Francophone Studies, and Claudia Thompson, visiting associate professor emeritus, Gillian Lee from the writing center, as well as my friends and family. They all cheered me on and encouraged me to do my best throughout the course of this year.

MY TAKEAWAYS

Chapman: I.S. taught me how to manage and work on a long-term project independently. It taught me perseverance and how to move forward in a project when things get difficult. I learned how to collaborate with advisors and the people around me, effectively communicating various kinds of information. My I.S. taught me to become more confident in my skills and abilities. It taught me to celebrate my work and to be proud of what I have accomplished, and not to take these big accomplishments lightly.

WHAT’S NEXT

Chapman: After graduation, I will be going to graduate school at Youngstown State University to complete a program in clinical mental health counseling to become a mental health counselor.

Featured image: Anna Chapman ’25, presented her research at I.S. Symposium.

Posted in Independent Study on June 20, 2025.