The Function of Autobiographical Memory
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORY
Outlines: 1. Definition, characteristics and function of autobiographical memory 2. Methods of studying autobiographical memory 3. Levels of autobiographical memory 4. Conway’s theory 5. Autobiographical memory as life narrative 6. Autobiographical memory over time (infantile amnesia; reminiscence bump)
Definition of Autobiographical Memories • Memories of ourselves and our relationships • Episodic and semantic • Unique • One’s life narrative • Interpretive knowledge
Characteristics of Autobiographical Memories • Constructive & integrative • General and specific information • General before specific information • Retrieval rate • More complex
The Function of Autobiographical Memories
Hyman and Faries (1992) & Bluck et al.’s (2005) TALE questionnaire
Williams, Conway, and Cohen (2008) proposed four functions of AM: – Directive – Social – Self-representational – Helping to cope with adversity
Studying Autobiographical Memories • Difficult to study • Many studies of autobiographical memory make tenuous assumptions … • Methods of study: • Classic diary method • Diary method with random sampling • Memory probe method
Structure of Autobiographical Memory
Levels of Autobiographical Memory: • Event-specific knowledge • General events • Lifetime periods
Levels of Autobiographical Memory
1. Event specific memories • Most closely aligned with episodic memory • Individual experiences • Perceptual and contextual detail • Most lost
2. General events • Two types – Sequence of events – Repeated events of a kind – Cover general time period • Require integrative and interpretive processing
3. Lifetime periods • Several general
Outlines: 1. Definition, characteristics and function of autobiographical memory 2. Methods of studying autobiographical memory 3. Levels of autobiographical memory 4. Conway’s theory 5. Autobiographical memory as life narrative 6. Autobiographical memory over time (infantile amnesia; reminiscence bump)
Definition of Autobiographical Memories • Memories of ourselves and our relationships • Episodic and semantic • Unique • One’s life narrative • Interpretive knowledge
Characteristics of Autobiographical Memories • Constructive & integrative • General and specific information • General before specific information • Retrieval rate • More complex
The Function of Autobiographical Memories
Hyman and Faries (1992) & Bluck et al.’s (2005) TALE questionnaire
Williams, Conway, and Cohen (2008) proposed four functions of AM: – Directive – Social – Self-representational – Helping to cope with adversity
Studying Autobiographical Memories • Difficult to study • Many studies of autobiographical memory make tenuous assumptions … • Methods of study: • Classic diary method • Diary method with random sampling • Memory probe method
Structure of Autobiographical Memory
Levels of Autobiographical Memory: • Event-specific knowledge • General events • Lifetime periods
Levels of Autobiographical Memory
1. Event specific memories • Most closely aligned with episodic memory • Individual experiences • Perceptual and contextual detail • Most lost
2. General events • Two types – Sequence of events – Repeated events of a kind – Cover general time period • Require integrative and interpretive processing
3. Lifetime periods • Several general