Autobiographical Memory

Psychology 3717

Introduction

• Really here we are talking about autobiographical memory

• So, while there will be some references to semantic memory, most of the stuff will be, by definition, episodic

• That said, we cannot ignore the semantic aspects of autobiographical memory

Problems

• Unlike say lists of words, autobiographical memory is hard to study

• All self reports• Hard to check on the reliability of the

responses• The diary approach and the cue word

approach may be useful, but have their limitations

Linton (1986)

• Recorded events• Dated them• Recalled a sample• Forgot about 5 percent per year• Wagenaar (1986) used a similar procedure

though recorded only one event per day, who, what , when, where

Wagenaar

• Power function• Cues• 5 per day• Best recall for happy events• Still, using yoursefl as your own subject may

not be the best approach

Cue word method

• Give a list of words• Have subject associate the words with

autobiographical events• Then give cues• Reminiscence bump

Reminiscence Bump

• Why?• Memories are happier?• Encoding processes are better?– Could be due to school and age combining here

• Big events?• Dunno….

Please just listen

• Pin• Inoculation• Haystack• Sharp• Pointy• Knitting• phonograph

Autobiographical memory as narrative

• Narrative means you know, like a story…• So when you tell a story, recall some event,

what do you get right?• Surprisingly little!• You get the gist• But specific stuff, not so good

Unleash the controversy!

• Repressed memories• Freudian idea (booooooooooooo)• Of course there is child abuse• Most people remember abuse• Most will not tell because of embarrassment

or threats• Implanting false memories is VERY easy

Can we tell the difference?

• And there is the problem• It is very difficult to tell the difference, though

some PET studies are promising• If you are to convict someone of something,

you need evidence• Memories are just one form of evidence• Our memories are at best reconstructive

Raise you hand if you heard this word earlier

• Pin• Book• Chair• Ceiling• Sharp• Pointy• Haystack• Needle

Flashbulb Memories

• Seem to be hyper accurate

• Seem to be super detailed

• Almost always about shared cultural experiences

• But they are NOT as accurate as they seem

9/11

• Do we all remember where we were?

• Les Cake at SWGC of MUN decided to test this

• Had his 2nd year cognition course fill out a questionnaire

• 37% recall after 3 years

Conclusions about episodic memory

• Autobiographical memory is usually episodic• Such memories tend to be best guesses• The guesses are USUALLY good guesses• Your memory is reconstructive