Work

The magnitude of sex differences in verbal episodic memory increases with social progress: Data from 54 countries across 40 years

Year: 2019

Type: article

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: Sex differences in episodic memory have been reported. We investigate (1) the existence of sex differences in verbal and other episodic memory tasks in 54 countries, and (2) the association between the time- and country-specific social progress indicators (a) female to male ratio in education and labor force participation, (b) population education and employment, and (c) GDP per capita, and magnitude of sex differences in verbal episodic memory tasks. Data were retrieved from 612 studies, published 1973-2013. Results showed that females outperformed (Cohen's d > 0) males in verbal (42 out of 45 countries) and other (28 out of 45 countries) episodic memory tasks. Although all three social progress indicators were, separately, positively associated with the female advantage in verbal episodic memory performance, only population education and employment remained significant when considering the social indicators together. Results suggest that women's verbal episodic memory performance benefits more than men's from education and employment.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214945

Authors: Martin Asperholm, Sanket Nagar, Serhiy Dekhtyar, Agneta Herlitz

Institutions: Karolinska Institutet, Monash University

Language: English

Topic: Memory Processes and Influences

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Gender equality

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,595