This article examines the self-reference effect (SRE) in memory, a phenomenon where information related to the self is better remembered compared to information processed in other ways. The authors conduct a meta-analysis to confirm the SRE and explore its consistency and conditions under which it occurs. They find that the SRE is robust but varies in magnitude, influenced by the nature of the comparison task and the likelihood of both organization and elaboration. The SRE is larger when comparing self-referent encoding with semantic encoding rather than other-referent encoding. The study also suggests that the SRE results from the self being a well-developed and often-used construct that promotes elaboration and organization of encoded information. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for theories of the SRE and future research.This article examines the self-reference effect (SRE) in memory, a phenomenon where information related to the self is better remembered compared to information processed in other ways. The authors conduct a meta-analysis to confirm the SRE and explore its consistency and conditions under which it occurs. They find that the SRE is robust but varies in magnitude, influenced by the nature of the comparison task and the likelihood of both organization and elaboration. The SRE is larger when comparing self-referent encoding with semantic encoding rather than other-referent encoding. The study also suggests that the SRE results from the self being a well-developed and often-used construct that promotes elaboration and organization of encoded information. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for theories of the SRE and future research.