Gender Effect on Neural Correlates of Autobiographical False Memories for Brand Images

This study investigated the effect of autobiographical brand images on false memory formation in adults, using the category associate’s procedure. The study also applied the event-related potential (ERP) approach to explore neural correlates of false memory and gender differences in false memory recall of brand images. 

Eight categories of autobiographical brand images were implied in a category associates’ procedure to investigate false memory recall. ERP data were obtained from 24 participants (12 females and 12 males) using a 32-channel amplifier while subjects were performing the memory task. Subsequently, gender effects on behavioral responses and neural correlates of false and true memory recalls were statistically compared using peak amplitude and latency of P300, late positive complex, and FN400 components. 

The results showed that left frontal areas in women were more activated in response to false memories compared to men, however, the men’s brain responses were faster. In addition, the men’s brain responses to false memories were widely distributed mainly over frontal, parietal, and occipital areas.

Males and females differently process autobiographical brand images. Nevertheless, the differential neural process may not influence their recognition rate or response time.