Sex,Modality,and Cognitive Strategy Effects on Short-Term Memory as a Function of Rate of Computerized Digit Presentations

Abstract

Short-term memory tests were given to 111 undergraduate volunteers (44 men and 67 women) under varying modes of presentation (auditory, visual, and auditory-visual combined) using different rates (1 sec. and 3 sec.) of computer-random digits. Subjects were instructed to “chunk” mentally 25 random digits (presented sequentially on a computer screen) into 5 sets of 5 digits (1 to 5) or to “rote” memorize all 25 digits for immediate recall. A mixed 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 split-plot analysis of variance showed a significant effect for rate of digit presentations, and there was a significant interaction between sex and rate of digit presentations. Men profited more from the 3-sec. rate than women, yet at the 1-sec. rate, women had higher short-term memory scores than men. There were no significant main effects for modality or cognitive strategy. Sex differences for digit-span tasks here were compared with sex differences from other studies for related tasks such as rapid matching of digit “strings.”

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