Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2006
Capstone Advisor
Dr. Marc W. Howard
Honors Reader
Dr. D. Bruce Carter
Capstone Major
Psychology
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Social Sciences
Subject Categories
Cognition and Perception | Cognitive Psychology | Other Psychology | Psychology
Abstract
Small but significant gender differences, typically favoring women, have previously been observed in experiments measuring human episodic memory performance. In three studies measuring episodic memory, we compared performance levels for men and women. Secondary analysis from a pairedassociate learning task revealed a superior ability for women to learn single function pairs (i.e. words that are represented in only one pair), but performance levels for double function pairs (i.e. pairs that contain words that are also used in one other pair) were similar for men and women. We also reanalyzed data from a recognition experiment that used pictures as stimuli, and discovered an enhanced propensity for women to recollect the test probes in comparison to men, but familiarity based judgments had minimal differences between genders. A prospective study was conducted in order to compare the effect of gender on a delayed free recall task that included basic arithmetic problems as part of the distractor task. Implications for gender differences are discussed with regard to biological factors involving estrogen, and relevant social factors.
Recommended Citation
Bridge, Donna J., "Memory & Cognition: What difference does gender make?" (2006). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 655.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/655
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Included in
Cognition and Perception Commons, Cognitive Psychology Commons, Other Psychology Commons
