GAC013 Assessment Event 1: Science Investigation and Report

Gender Differences in Verbal

Based Memory

(Final Draft)

Student Name: Sorawit Naruponjirakul

Student ID: SES66929

Teacher: Ms. Imee Payumo

Due Date: 23rd December 2022

Word Count: 841 Words

Table of Contents

Abstract........................................................................................................................................1

1.0 Introduction............................................................................................................................1

2.0 Research Methodology...........................................................................................................1

3.0 Research Results....................................................................................................................2

4.0 Discussion..............................................................................................................................3

5.0 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................4

References....................................................................................................................................5
GAC013: AE1 Sorawit Naruponjirakul SES66929

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate who has better memory among males and

females aged 15-16, using a word memorization test. the hypothesis was supported because it

was concluded that females outperformed males. Further study on this topic could make use of

any memory tests, such as the use of short passages. (54 Words)

1.0 Introduction

Verbal episodic memory is the ability to recall and mentally experience particular

experiences from one's history, which includes memory for generic, context-free knowledge.

(Gillund 2012). According to numerous studies on the topic, females typically outperform males

in verbal-based episodic memory tasks due to a variety of factors such as biological sex,

emotional intensity, better encodement of information during events, and gender schema theory.

(Frith, and Loprinzi 2018) (Baer, Trumpeter, and Weathington 2006) (Booker 2013). This study

compared the verbal episodic memory abilities of ten male and ten female participants between

the ages of 15-17. The expected outcome is that females would perform better. (103 Words)

2.0 Research Methodology

The study involved 10 male and 10 female Year 11 students from Sarasas Ektra School

who took a verbal episodic memory test. The two sections of the test contain English words of

varying difficulty levels. The first section required recalling words in any order in 45 seconds,

while the second required recalling words in a precise order in 60 seconds. The number of

questions answered correctly by both genders was used to calculate the points. Minor errors are

acceptable, and the time spent searching for solutions has no impact on the conclusion. Data

received were then calculated into mean, median, mode, total score, and standard deviation.

This method was chosen since the study's goal is to prove that females outperform males in

verbal-based memory by administering a memory test to ten males and females aged 15 to 17.

(138 Words)

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GAC013: AE1 Sorawit Naruponjirakul SES66929

3.0 Research Results

The results of Test Part 1 are listed below. consisting of ten student participants from

each gender. Males scored 9, 8.5, 8, 90, and 1.70, while females scored 9.9 10.5, 11, 99, and

2.18. A female's greatest performance obtained the maximum score of 14, while a male received

the highest score of 12. According to the given statistics, females outperform males in every

stat given before, and no females scored lower than males. 40% of females scored evenly with

males. Apart from that, 60% of the females scored higher.

Figure 1: The graph shows the raw score obtained in Part 1 of the test by male and

female participants.

Raw Scores Of Memory Test Part 1

16
14
12
10
Males
Score

8
Females
6
4
2
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Pairs

Figure 2 showed that males have a mean, median, mode, total score, and standard

deviation of 10.6, 12, 13, 106, and 3.20, while females have 9.9, 10.5, 11, 99, and 2.18. The

results, however, differed from those in the first study. The difference was that females now

seem to perform worse than males. The given statistics said so, as females’ results were all

lower than males. 70% of the males scored higher than females, 20% scored evenly and only

10% scored higher than males. (173 Words)

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GAC013: AE1 Sorawit Naruponjirakul SES66929

Figure 2: The graph shows the raw score obtained in Part 2 of the test by male and

female participants.

Raw Scores Of Memory Test Part 2

14

12

10

8
Males
Score

6 Females

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Pairs

4.0 Discussion

Females would outperform males in verbal episodic memory tests for word recall. The

study's findings supported the idea by demonstrating that females outperformed males overall.

Furthermore, the findings are consistent with those of other investigations: The Wechsler

Memory Scale (Wechsler, 2009) was administered to 696 participants, 330 men and 366

females, ranging in age from 16-69. The participants completed each test in a way suitable for

the kind of memory being examined. Another research conducted between 1973 and 2013

looked at gender differences in episodic memory variability in 535 studies comprising 962,946

people. The findings of both pieces of research stated that memory recall was different for

males and females and that females differed more than males in tasks requiring route

memorization. (Martinez, 2020), (Leuven, Herlitz and Asperholm, 2020). Furthermore,

scientific studies were conducted to determine why females outperformed males, according to

the impact intensity theory, females have higher memory function because they react more

strongly to emotional situations than males do on average. (2008, ScienceDaily). Additionally,

the cognitive style theory study indicates that females encode events with greater specificity

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than men. Because men tend to communicate general thoughts rather than specifics. (Frith and

Loprinzi, 2018). From the main research, supporting research, and the hypothesis, the main

connection between all three was that females perform better than males. The research's strength

is that it makes use of the verbal episodic memory word recall type test, which was the standard

method for studies on this topic around the world. However, one of the research's limitations

was that participants had to have a fair command of English vocabulary. (266 Words)

5.0 Conclusion

According to the hypothesis, females had a higher total score than males. Although they

scored lower in the second portion due to various constraints such as more difficult levels of

English vocabulary. Such information acquired can be utilized to determine who performs better

in memory-based activities in the future or to do more study on the subject. Additional

recommendations for future study include using more common English words; if not, alternative

subjects such as numbers, symbols, or short passages might be utilized to conduct the research.

To eliminate any potential constraints, choose participants who have long-term expertise in the

category in which the research is being conducted. (107 Words)

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References

Asperholm, M., Leuven L. and Herlitz A. (2020), Sex Differences in Episodic Memory
Variance, Frontiers [Online]. Available From:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00613/full
[Accessed 12th August 2022]

Baer, A., Trumpeter, N., and Weathington, B. (2006), Gender differences in memory recall,
Modern Psychological Studies [Online]. Available From:
https://scholar.utc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1121&context=mps [Accessed 14th
August 2022]

Booker K. (2013), Study uncovers why women remember events better, Cornell Chronicle
[Online]. Available From: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/06/study-uncovers-
why-women-remember-events-better [Accessed 22nd November 2022]

Frith, E. and Loprinzi P. (2018), The Role of Sex in Memory Function: Considerations and
Recommendations in the Context of Exercise, National Library of Medicine [Online].
Available From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6028920/ [Accessed
12th August 2022]

Gillund, G. (2012), Episodic Memory, ScienceDirect [Online]. Available from:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/episodic-memory [Accessed 14th
August 2022]

Martinez, F. (2020), Gender Differences in Memory Recall Among College Students, California
State University Stanislaus [Online]. Available From:
https://www.csustan.edu/sites/default/files/groups/University%20Honors%20Program/
Journals_two/fernandob.pdf [Accessed 12th August 2022]

Sex Differences In Memory: Women Better Than Men At Remembering Everyday (2008).,
ScienceDaily [Online]. Available From:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220104244.htm#:~:text=In
%20additional%20studies%2C%20psychologists%20also,decreases%20when
%20visuospatial%20abilities%20are [Accessed 14th August 2022]

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