ABSTRACT
The sociocultural developmental theory of autobiographical memory maintains that autobiographical memory is a self-centered narrative product shaped by sociocultural norms. This study tested this thesis by investigating gender effects on agency and communion in significant memories from racially diverse older adults, a population largely absent from past research. Participants (N = 468; 59.4% female; 50% Black; M
age = 68.18) were older Black and White American adults who recalled high points, low points, turning points, and critical events from their lives. We found that gender effects were not uniform but instead moderated by racial background. For agency, Black males scored higher than Black females overall; this gendered pattern was observed in White participants’ high-point memories. For communion, White females scored higher than White males overall; this gendered pattern was observed in Black participants’ turning-point memories. These findings highlight the joint influences of gender and racial-cultural contexts on older adults’ autobiographical remembering.