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Evidence for a robust, estradiol-associated sex difference in narrative-writing fluency
Oliver C Schultheiss1, Martin G Köllner1, Holger Busch2
1Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University.
Neuropsychology
|September 24, 2020
Summary
Women show enhanced verbal fluency in narrative writing, particularly during their reproductive years. This sex difference is linked to estradiol levels and prenatal hormone exposure, confirming a female advantage in storytelling.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Previous research suggests a sex difference in verbal fluency favoring women, linked to estradiol.
- Recent reviews have questioned the robustness of this observed sex difference.
- The current study re-examines this difference using a narrative task administered over two decades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To meta-analyze existing data on sex differences in narrative writing fluency.
- To investigate the moderating roles of cue type, response modality, and age on this sex difference.
- To explore the mediating role of estradiol and the moderating role of prenatal hormone exposure (digit ratio) in the observed sex difference.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of 98 studies (N = 11,528) involving biological sex and storytelling measures.
- Primary data analyses on a subset of 797 participants, including salivary hormone and digit ratio measures.
- Statistical analyses to examine effect sizes, confidence intervals, and moderation/mediation effects.
Main Results:
- Women produced longer stories than men (d = 0.31), indicating a female advantage in narrative writing fluency.
- The effect size varied significantly by cue type (verbal vs. pictures) and response modality (handwriting/typing vs. oral).
- A significant age effect was observed, with the female advantage most pronounced in pubertal individuals and premenopausal adults, and estradiol specifically mediating this difference, moderated by digit ratio.
Conclusions:
- A robust female advantage in verbal fluency is evident when assessed through narrative writing.
- This advantage is associated with the reproductive life stage and current estradiol concentrations.
- Prenatal hormone exposure, estimated by digit ratio, moderates the relationship between estradiol and narrative writing fluency.
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