Sex Differences in Incidental Learning and Recall of Related and Unrelated Word Pairs

Abstract

Summary A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was used to examine the effects of sex differences, grade, and processing levels in incidental learning and recall of paired associates. Male and female college and high school students processed 30 related and 30 unrelated word pairs by finding similarities or differences between paired items. Males showed better retention than females on a cued recall test, but only at the high school level. Recall of subjects at each grade level was significantly influenced by both pair relationship and processing task. Although recall differences due to sex were thought to be caused by self-selection of subjects at the high school level, the pair relationship × processing task interaction was explained within the framework of a “continuum” model of memory.