Females鈥?superiority in item memory, but not source memory for neutral and emotional Chinese words
- 作者：Bo Wang ; ericjianhua@yahoo.com.cn
- 关键词：Gender differences ; Emotion ; Item memory ; Source memory ; Recollection ; Familiarity
- 刊名：Personality and Individual Differences
- 出版年：2012
- 期刊代码：64_01918869
- 类别：psy
- 出版时间：June, 2012
- 卷：52
- 期：8
- 页码：925-929
- 文件大小：381 K
摘要
Although studies have shown females鈥?superiority in episodic memory, it is unclear whether such superiority is modulated by emotionality of stimuli. Furthermore, episodic memory consists of two elements - item memory and source memory. It is unclear whether females have advantages in both elements. This study examined gender differences in item memory and source memory for neutral and emotional words. The major findings are that females were superior to males in item memory for neutral and emotional words but did not differ from males in source memory. Additionally, it is enhancement of recollection rather than familiarity, that contributed to females鈥?superiority in recognition. The above findings highlight the need to differentiate elements of episodic memory in examining gender differences. Possible mechanisms underlying the above findings (e.g., gender differences in verbal strategies) were discussed.