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

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  • Martin Asperholm
  • Sanket Nagar
  • Serhiy Dekhtyar
  • Agneta Herlitz

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Asperholm & Sanket Nagar & Serhiy Dekhtyar & Agneta Herlitz, 2019. "The magnitude of sex differences in verbal episodic memory increases with social progress: Data from 54 countries across 40 years," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(4), pages 1-11, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0214945
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214945
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    3. Gijsbert Stoet & David C Geary, 2013. "Sex Differences in Mathematics and Reading Achievement Are Inversely Related: Within- and Across-Nation Assessment of 10 Years of PISA Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-10, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stern, Charlotta & Madison, Guy, 2022. "Sex differences and occupational choice Theorizing for policy informed by behavioral science✰," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 694-702.
    2. Stoet, Gijsbert & Geary, David C., 2020. "Sex-specific academic ability and attitude patterns in students across developed countries," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

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