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Author(s): Habermas, Tilmann; Diel, Verena
Title: The episodicity of verbal reports of personally significant autobiographical memories. Vividness correlates with narrative text quality more than with detailedness or memory specificity
In: Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, (2013) , S. 7:110
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00110
URL: http://www.frontiersin.org/Behavioral_Neuroscience/10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00110/abstract
Publication Type: 3a. Beiträge in begutachteten Zeitschriften; Aufsatz (keine besondere Kategorie)
Language: Englisch
Keywords: Altersgruppe; Autobiographie; Bericht; Erinnerung; Erzählung; Gedächtnis; Interview
Abstract (english): How can we tell from a memory report whether a memory is episodic or not? Vividness
is required by many definitions, whereas detailedness, memory specificity, and narrative
text type are competing definitions of episodicity used in research. We explored their
correlations with vividness in personally significant autobiographical memories to provide
evidence to support their relative claim to define episodic memories. In addition, we
explored differences between different memory types and text types as well as between
memories with different valences.We asked a lifespan sample (N D168) of 8-, 12-, 16-, 20-,
40-, and 65-year-olds of both genders (N D27, 29, 27, 27, 28, 30) to provide brief oral life
narratives. These were segmented into thematic memory units. Detailedness of person,
place, and time did not correlate with each other or either vividness, memory specificity,
or narrative text type. Narrative text type, in contrast, correlated both with vividness and
memory specificity, suggesting narrative text type as a good criterion of episodicity. Emotionality
turned out to be an even better predictor of vividness. Also, differences between
narrative, chronicle, and argument text types and between specific versus more extended
and atemporal memories were explored as well as differences between positive, negative,
ambivalent, neutral, contamination, and redemption memory reports. It is concluded that
temporal sequentiality is a central characteristic of episodic autobiographical memories.
Furthermore, it is suggested that the textual quality of memory reports should be taken
more seriously, and that evaluation and interpretation are inherent aspects of personally
significant memories.
DIPF-Departments: Bildung und Entwicklung