The Effects of Gender and Self-Insight on Early Semantic Processing

<div><p>This event-related potential (ERP) study explored individual differences associated with gender and level of self-insight in early semantic processing. Forty-eight Chinese native speakers completed a semantic judgment task with three different categories of words: abstract neutral words (e.g., logic, effect), concrete neutral words (e.g., teapot, table), and emotion words (e.g., despair, guilt). They then assessed their levels of self-insight. Results showed that women engaged in greater processing than did men. Gender differences also manifested in the relationship between level of self-insight and word processing. For women, level of self-insight was associated with level of semantic activation for emotion words and abstract neutral words, but not for concrete neutral words. For men, level of self-insight was related to processing speed, particularly in response to abstract and concrete neutral words. These findings provide electrophysiological evidence for the effects of gender and self-insight on semantic processing and highlight the need to take into consideration subject variables in related research.</p></div

Correlation of insight scores and male RP peak latency at P7 in response to abstract words and concrete words.

<p>Correlation of insight scores and male RP peak latency at P7 in response to abstract words and concrete words.</p

Grand mean RP waveforms in response to abstract words, concrete words, emotion words, and non-words at four electrode sites.

<p>Grand mean RP waveforms in response to abstract words, concrete words, emotion words, and non-words at four electrode sites.</p

Grand mean RP waveforms of male and female participants in response to abstract words, concrete words, emotion words, and non-words at four electrode sites.

<p>Grand mean RP waveforms of male and female participants in response to abstract words, concrete words, emotion words, and non-words at four electrode sites.</p

Properties of the three types of real words.

<p>Properties of the three types of real words.</p

Differential relations between insight and RP waveforms for male versus female participants.

<p>Differential relations between insight and RP waveforms for male versus female participants.</p

Correlation of insight scores and female RP peak amplitude at O2 in response to abstract words and emotion words.

<p>Correlation of insight scores and female RP peak amplitude at O2 in response to abstract words and emotion words.</p