A "release from proactive inhibition (PI) task" method examines the masculine-feminine connotation of a word as an attribute of encoding in memory. Male (N=45) and female (N=61) subjects were given four trials, each trial consisting of three occupations with all masculine or all feminine connotations, a subtraction task, and a recall sheet. Males presented with three sets of masculine occupations, and then switched to feminine occupations on the fourth trial, showed a continual decline in recall. Males presented with a feminine-masculine switch showed 80% release from PI. Males may first have classified masculine occupations presented as "occupations," with feminine occupations subsumed into this category. Males presented first with feminine occupations classified them as such, making the later-presented masculine occupations a new category. Females distinguished between masculine and feminine occupations, regardless of order of presentation, showing a small consistent release from PI. A differing social reality experienced by males and females has an influence on encoding of occupations. No sex-role effects were found. Further research should investigate the effects of cognitive structures such as memory encoding categories on social interaction. (NRB)