GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SELF-PERCEPTION AND NEGATIVE RECALL BIASES

This study investigated gentler differences in the accuracy of self-pe rceptions and whether self-perception biases are related to negative r ecall biases. Participants were 275 female and 213 male college studen ts. Approximately 10% of the participants were minorities (mostly Afri can American and Asian). On a masculine task, gender differences in se lf-perceptions were found for three measures of accuracy: The accuracy of self-evaluations, calibration, and response bias. Females underest imated their performance, were less well calibrated and showed a more consevative response bias than did males. Ar; hypothesized, no gender differences in the accuracy of self-evaluations were found for feminin e and neutral tasks. Participants' expectancies mediated the gender di fferences in post task self-evaluations of performance. In addition, e vidence for a negative recall bias was found. Females were more likely than males to recall their mistakes even with performance and accurac y of self-evaluations controlled. The implications of females' greater self-perception biases on masculine tasks are discussed and suggestio ns for future research are made.