Sex differences and gender bias on memory tests in older adults

Females typically perform slightly better than males on memory tests, but this may be partially explained by gender-related biases in remembering the test content. Sex/gender-related differences are underexplored on tests designed to detect subtle Alzheimer's disease-related memory impairment. We studied sex differences on memory tests among older adults, particularly focusing on the Face-Name test (FNAME-12). Specifically, we investigated whether participants were biased toward remembering stimuli that matched their own sex.

Cognitively normal participants (n = 452) completed cognitive tests including FNAME-12 at baseline (aged ∼70 years) and follow-up (aged ∼73). FNAME-12 stimuli comprise male and female faces, with names and occupations. Recall and recognition were tested with delays of up to 7 days. We investigated how FNAME-12 outcomes were affected by stimulus gender and participant sex. We examined correlations between "gender bias scores" at baseline and follow-up.

Women outperformed men on memory tests including FNAME-12. Men and women recalled more male than female stimuli, with this discrepancy being two to three times greater among men (baseline: men d = 0.52, women d = 0.15; follow-up: men d = 0.58, women d = 0.25). Seven-day retention rates for male stimuli were higher (recall d = 0.32; recognition d = 0.41). Baseline and follow-up "gender bias scores" were weakly to moderately correlated.

We observed a gender bias on FNAME-12-particularly among male participants-where male stimuli were better remembered than female stimuli. This bias showed some consistency over ∼2.5 years. Sex differences on memory tests require careful interpretation, as they may be partially explained by gender-related bias in the learning and recall of test content. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).