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What drives social in-group biases in face recognition memory? ERP evidence from the own-gender bias

Wolff, N.; Kemter, K.; Schweinberger, S.R.; Wiese, H.

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Authors

N. Wolff

K. Kemter

S.R. Schweinberger



Abstract

It is well established that memory is more accurate for own-relative to other-race faces (own-race bias), which has been suggested to result from larger perceptual expertise for own-race faces. Previous studies also demonstrated better memory for own-relative to other-gender faces, which is less likely to result from differences in perceptual expertise, and rather may be related to social in-group vs out-group categorization. We examined neural correlates of the own-gender bias using event-related potentials (ERP). In a recognition memory experiment, both female and male participants remembered faces of their respective own gender more accurately compared with other-gender faces. ERPs during learning yielded significant differences between the subsequent memory effects (subsequently remembered – subsequently forgotten) for own-gender compared with other-gender faces in the occipito-temporal P2 and the central N200, whereas neither later subsequent memory effects nor ERP old/new effects at test reflected a neural correlate of the own-gender bias. We conclude that the own-gender bias is mainly related to study phase processes, which is in line with sociocognitive accounts.

Citation

Wolff, N., Kemter, K., Schweinberger, S., & Wiese, H. (2014). What drives social in-group biases in face recognition memory? ERP evidence from the own-gender bias. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(5), 580-590. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nst024

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 21, 2013
Online Publication Date Mar 22, 2013
Publication Date May 1, 2014
Deposit Date Oct 7, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Print ISSN 1749-5016
Electronic ISSN 1749-5024
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 9
Issue 5
Pages 580-590
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nst024

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Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience following peer review. The version of record Nicole Wolff, Kathleen Kemter, Stefan R. Schweinberger, Holger Wiese; What drives social in-group biases in face recognition memory? ERP evidence from the own-gender bias. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 2014; 9 (5): 580-590 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nst024





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