ABSTRACT
An individual difference perspective is exemplified by the study of genetic, age, gender, or cultural differences in learning or remembering. Chapter section includes genetics of learning in animals; age differences in conditioning, memory in children and in the elderly. Case studies of memorists or mnemonists, individuals with exceptional memories, suggest some factors leading to enhanced remembering. While a certain type of memory can be at an exceptional level (memory for random numbers, or for episodic events), most memory experts are exceptional in one memory domain and are mostly average for other domains. Male/female differences is memory often occur, although the explanations are varied. Researchers have considered brain and hormonal differences between genders, evolutionary history, socialization in development, and effects of stereotypes and expectations on performance. Learning styles (e.g., verbal or visual learner) reveal reliable self-categorization by individuals, but no evidence that people actually learn better when instructed using their matching style. The study of cultures and remembering shows effects of education on Western culture’s methods of testing. The age of first memories illustrates childhood amnesia, differences in socialization, and memory retrieval biases between Western and Eastern cultures.
