A male advantage for spatial and object but not verbal working memory using the n-back task

作者：Lejbak Lisa^*; Crossley Margaret; Vrbancic Mirna

来源：Brain and Cognition, 2011, 76(1): 191-196.

DOI：10.1016/j.bandc.2010.12.002

• Working memory
• Verbal working memory
• Spatial working memory
• n-back
• Object working memory
• Sex differences
• Gender differences
• Sex
• Cognition

Sex-related differences have been reported for performance and neural substrates on some working memory measures that carry a high cognitive load, including the popular n-back neuroimaging paradigm. Despite some evidence of a sex effect on the task, the influence of sex on performance represents a potential confound in neuroimaging research. The present study investigated sex-related differences in verbal, spatial, and common object versions of the high cognitive load "n-back" working memory task. Eighteen male and 18 female undergraduates completed all 3 versions of the task. A mixed ANOVA, with Sex (male and female) as the between-subjects factor and Condition (verbal, spatial, and object) as the within-subjects repeated measure revealed that males were significantly more accurate than females on the spatial and object versions of the n-back task and performed equivalently to females on the verbal version of the task. Although the expected female advantage for verbal working memory was not found using this effortful n-back task, these results support a male advantage for high cognitive load spatial and object working memory. Future research should take into account the influence of sex on performance of the n-back task, and examine sex-related differences in working memory using other paradigms.

• 出版日期2011-6