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Siedlecki KL, Minahan Zucchetto J, Yazdani N. The Influence of Instructional Constraints and Cognitive Control on the Positivity Bias and the Positivity Effect in Autobiographical Memory. Int J Aging Hum Dev 2024:914150241268181. [PMID: 39105308 DOI: 10.1177/00914150241268181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
The positivity effect and the positivity bias were examined in voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memories in a sample of younger (n = 69, Mage = 23.2) and older adults (n = 57, Mage = 67.72). The positivity effect has been shown to be sensitive to instructional constraints and cognitive resources. Instructions were manipulated in the voluntary autobiographical memory condition such that participants were instructed to retrieve memories with different levels of constraints. Participants also completed two measures of cognitive control and an assessment of future time perspective. There was no evidence of the positivity effect or positivity bias once depressive symptoms were included as a covariate in the analyses, nor did cognitive control influence memory valence. Future time perspective did not mediate the relationship between age and memory valence. These results suggest that additional research should focus on potential variables that may influence the positivity effect and bias within autobiographical memories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Neshat Yazdani
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
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2
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Rathbone CJ, Moulin CJA. Understanding the relationship between self and memory through the IAM task. Memory 2024; 32:803-818. [PMID: 39047055 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2024.2382285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
In this article we present a review of research on the IAM Task, whereby memories are cued by self-images in the form of "I am … " statements, such as I am a grandfather, I am a Bob Dylan fan, I am from Darlington, I am a Psychologist. Such cues are particularly successful at accessing memories associated with the formation of specific aspects of the self. We describe the conceptual and historical context for the development of our task and review findings from other researchers who have used the same basic design. We present aggregate data and examples from across several experiments, examining how these patterns change in psychological distress and dysfunction. We also discuss research on "I will be" statements and how these have been adopted to examine self-related future cognitions. We conclude that the working self operates to organise memory retrieval and make accessible episodic and semantic material for self-relevant periods across the lifespan. Moreover, accessibility of self-images can be modulated by retrieval of autobiographical memories, highlighting Conway's bidirectional relationship between memory and the self. We provide suggestions for future research and for the first time provide a standardised version of our IAM Task for use by researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare J Rathbone
- Centre for Psychological Research, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Chris J A Moulin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition CNRS UMR 5105, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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3
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Navarro B, Jimeno MV, Fernández-Aguilar L, Nieto M, Toledano-González A, Cantero MJ, Ros L, Latorre JM. Effects of affectively-loaded childhood-related photos from the IAPS on the induction of involuntary autobiographical memories in young and older adults. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1266758. [PMID: 38282849 PMCID: PMC10811954 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1266758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Aging produces changes in emotional reactivity and the retrieval of autobiographical memories. The main aim of this study was to assess age-related differences, comparing emotion induction and autobiographical memory recall using photos from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) that are thematically related to childhood. Method A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, with the participation of 327 individuals (168 young adults and 159 older adults) with no cognitive impairment and aged between 18 and 88 years. We showed the participants a set of five pictures from the IAPS, the affective content of which was related to childhood. Two of these were considered to be positive images, two negative and one neutral, according to the valence of these pictures in the literature. The main study variables were the reactions associated with emotional valence or pleasure, arousal and dominance, after viewing the photos, and the autobiographical memories retrieved by the participants. Results The younger adults retrieved a larger number of memories than their older counterparts. As regards the responses to the five affective pictures (IAPS) on valence, arousal and dominance (IAPS), statistically significant differences were only found for pictures 2,345 (BlackEye), with a more positive valence in the group of older adults and higher arousal in the young ones, and 2,312 (Mother), with a more positive valence in the group of older persons. A greater number of memories were retrieved for the photos that generated higher levels of pleasure, greater relaxation and greater emotional control. Conclusion Of the variables that may be associated with the elicitation of involuntary autobiographical memories, the most significant are age and a positive stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Navarro
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - María Verónica Jimeno
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Luz Fernández-Aguilar
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Marta Nieto
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Abel Toledano-González
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain
| | - María José Cantero
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Laura Ros
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - José Miguel Latorre
- Unidad de Psicología Cognitiva Aplicada, Instituto de Discapacidades Neurológicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
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4
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Kyröläinen AJ, Gillett J, Karabin M, Sonnadara R, Kuperman V. Cognitive and social well-being in older adulthood: The CoSoWELL corpus of written life stories. Behav Res Methods 2023; 55:2885-2909. [PMID: 36002624 PMCID: PMC9400578 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-022-01926-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents the Cognitive and Social WELL-being (CoSoWELL) project that consists of two components. One is a large corpus of narratives written by over 1000 North American older adults (55+ years old) in five test sessions before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The other component is a rich collection of socio-demographic data collected through a survey from the same participants. This paper introduces the first release of the corpus consisting of 1.3 million tokens and the survey data (CoSoWELL version 1.0). It also presents a series of analyses validating design decisions for creating the corpus of narratives written about personal life events that took place in the distant past, recent past (yesterday) and future, along with control narratives. We report results of computational topic modeling and linguistic analyses of the narratives in the corpus, which track the time-locked impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the content of autobiographical memories before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main findings demonstrate a high validity of our analytical approach to unique narrative data and point to both the locus of topical shifts (narratives about recent past and future) and their detailed timeline. We make the CoSoWELL corpus and survey data available to researchers and discuss implications of our findings in the framework of research on aging and autobiographical memories under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen
- Department of Linguistics and Languages, McMaster University, Togo Salmon Hall 513, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 8S 4M2.
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5
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Ikeda H, Kusumi T. Episodic memory and personal semantics as triggers of nostalgia: its relationships between abstraction of memory content and temporal distance. Memory 2023; 31:784-801. [PMID: 37000614 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2196038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Nostalgia, an autobiographically relevant positive emotion, is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past. Autobiographical memory, which is one of the cognitive bases of nostalgia, includes both abstract semantic and detailed episodic memories. Recent studies have defined and classified memories that are located between semantic and episodic memory as personal semantics. Although autobiographical memory and personal semantics range over a continuum, past nostalgia research has not focused on or controlled them. In two experiments, undergraduate students retrieved episodic memory and personal semantics and rated cognitive and affective items. The intensity of nostalgia differed according to the types of memory content and temporal distance of the memory from the present. These results revealed that not only unique events but also repeated events and autobiographical facts induced nostalgia; furthermore, repeated events from both the distant and recent past (primary and high school, respectively) consistently induced relatively greater nostalgia, but in some cases, they were not significantly different from other types of memory (i.e., unique events and autobiographical facts). These findings suggest that both episodic memory and personal semantics are involved in the occurrence of nostalgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroka Ikeda
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Kusumi
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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6
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Effects of the use of autobiographical photographs on emotional induction in older adults: a systematic review. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022; 87:988-1011. [PMID: 35859072 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01712-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
There is evidence to support the positive contribution of autobiographical recall based techniques on individuals' quality of life, mood and cognitive functioning. In this review, we analyzed the effects of the use of personal photographs in interventions based on autobiographical memory in older people with and without cognitive impairment. The PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed. The search was carried out in the electronic databases Web of Sciences (WOS), Medline (PubMed), SCIELO and PsycInfo (American Psychological Association). The articles based on clinical trials selected were evaluated using the PEDRo scale, which is specific to this type of article. Of the 1098 articles initially found, 6 met the inclusion criteria. The final articles focused their intervention on the use of autobiographical photographs as a means of stimulation. The results show that the use of photographs in different autobiographical recall stimulation techniques is associated with higher scores on well-being and quality of life, as well as with improvements in personal identity and cognitive functioning. This suggests that using personal photographs shows promise in enhancing the effect of these types of interventions in healthy or cognitively impaired older adults.
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7
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Vannucci M, Chiorri C, Pelagatti C, Favilli L. Semantic Self-Images and Well-Being in Young and Older Adults: Does the Accessibility Matter? Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060716. [PMID: 35741600 PMCID: PMC9221324 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study we investigated whether and how age group, dimensions of well-being and their interactions predicted the phenomenological properties of semantic self-images, taking also into account the different levels of accessibility of self-images (i.e., order of generation). Results on the first self-image revealed that, independently of age, higher levels of life satisfaction predicted higher likelihood of positive than negative statement and higher levels of negative affect and life satisfaction predicted higher levels of personal relevance of the self-image. When all self-images were considered, for higher levels of life satisfaction neutral and positive self-images were more likely than negative ones, and for lower levels of positive affect, neutral images were more likely than negative ones. Moreover, young adults were more likely than older adults to report neutral rather than negative self-images and, for higher levels of positive affect, they were more likely to report neutral and positive images instead of negative ones. These results suggest that the accessibility of semantic self-images should be taken into account in the investigation of the complex association between well-being and semantic self-images. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manila Vannucci
- Department of NEUROFARBA, Section of Psychology, University of Florence, Via San Salvi 12, Padiglione 26, 50135 Florence, Italy;
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (C.C.); Tel.: +39-055-2055863 (M.V.); +39-010-20953709 (C.C.); Fax: +39-055-6236047 (M.V.); +39-010-20953728 (C.C.)
| | - Carlo Chiorri
- Department of Educational Sciences—Psychology Unit, University of Genoa, Corso Podestà 2, 16128 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (C.C.); Tel.: +39-055-2055863 (M.V.); +39-010-20953709 (C.C.); Fax: +39-055-6236047 (M.V.); +39-010-20953728 (C.C.)
| | - Claudia Pelagatti
- Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy;
| | - Laura Favilli
- Department of NEUROFARBA, Section of Psychology, University of Florence, Via San Salvi 12, Padiglione 26, 50135 Florence, Italy;
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Badham SP, Justice LV, Jones LN, Myers JAC. An older adult advantage in autobiographical recall. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2022; 30:555-581. [PMID: 35422185 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2022.2063789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This pre-registered online study aimed to measure the effect of environmental support on age-differences in autobiographical memory alongside memory for images. Young and older adults reported autobiographical memories about which they regularly thought (high environmental support through practice) or that were experimentally cued to be mundane (low environmental support). The support manipulation was also applied to descriptions of images that were produced whilst images remained on screen (high support) or produced from memory (low support). In line with existing theory, support disproportionately benefitted older adults in the quantity of information produced. However, analysis of the autobiographical descriptions showed no age deficit in reporting episodic detail, in contrast to much of the existing literature. A second group of young and older adults also evaluated the descriptions produced, and older adults' descriptions were consistently rated as higher quality than young adults' descriptions across several dimensions, such as vividness and clarity. An unplanned meta-analysis was conducted to assess if a publication bias existed in the literature favoring the reporting of age-deficits in producing episodic detail in autobiographical memory: there was no evidence for a bias and the modal result of age deficits was generally supported. A key distinction is that the current study was conducted online - evidence is presented to argue that older adults may perform better at autobiographical memory tasks outside the lab.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucy V Justice
- NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham UK
| | - Lauren N Jones
- NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham UK
| | - James A C Myers
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Harris S, Wilmut K, Rathbone C. Anxiety, confidence and self-concept in adults with and without developmental coordination disorder. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 119:104119. [PMID: 34736108 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research suggests that adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) report lower general wellbeing and higher general anxiety levels than typically developing (TD) adults. AIMS To examine and explore relationships between anxiety and confidence (self-efficacy and resilience) generally and in a movement-specific context, along with self-concept among adults with DCD and TD adults. METHODS 74 adults with diagnosed DCD, 26 adults with suspected DCD and 79 TD adults (18-60 years) completed an online questionnaire composed of a mixture of existent psychometric measures and novel scales. RESULTS General and movement-specific anxiety, self-efficacy and general resilience were all poorer in adults with diagnosed and suspected DCD compared to TD adults. Higher resilience was related to higher self-efficacy and lower anxiety in adults with DCD. Individuals with suspected DCD for whom motor skills difficulties were an important aspect of their self-concept had lower movement-specific self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS Interventions to improve the psychosocial wellbeing of adults with DCD should include a focus on lowering anxiety and building self-efficacy and resilience, with particular attention to movement-related domains. IMPLICATIONS This would facilitate the effective development of strategies to manage motor skills difficulties and their impact on everyday life for adults with DCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Harris
- Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Kate Wilmut
- Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Clare Rathbone
- Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, OX3 0BP, UK.
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10
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Abstract
Self-knowledge is a type of personal semantic knowledge that concerns one's self-image and personal identity. It has most often been operationalized as the summary of one's personality traits ("I am a stubborn person"). Interestingly, recent studies have revealed that the neural correlates of self-knowledge can be dissociated from those of general semantic and episodic memory in young adults. However, studies of "dedifferentiation" or loss of distinctiveness of neural representations in ageing suggest that the neural correlates of self-knowledge might be less distinct from those of semantic and episodic memory in older adults. We investigated this question in an event-related potential (ERP) study with 28 young and 26 older adults while they categorised personality traits for their self-relevance (self-knowledge conditions), and their relevance to certain groups of people (general semantic condition). Participants then performed a recognition test for previously seen traits (episodic condition). The amplitude of the late positive component (LPC), associated with episodic recollection processes, differentiated the self-knowledge, general semantic, and episodic conditions in young adults, but not in older adults. However, in older adults, participants with higher composite episodic memory scores had more differentiated LPC amplitudes across experimental conditions. Moreover, consistent with the fact that age-related neural dedifferentiation may be material and region specific, in both age groups some differences between memory types were observed for the N400 component, associated with semantic processing. Taken together, these findings suggest that declarative memory subtypes are less distinct in ageing, but that the amount of differentiation varies with episodic memory function.
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11
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Engelbrecht R, Bhar S, Ciorciari J. Planting the SEED: A model to describe the functions of music in reminiscence therapy. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2021; 44:101441. [PMID: 34247028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Music-assisted reminiscence therapy involves the use of music, in any form, to prompt and augment the recollection of autobiographical memories and therapeutic reframing of the meaning of one's life and experiences. The functions of music in reminiscence therapy remains unclear. Drawing on interdisciplinary research in music therapy, psychology, sociology, gerontology, and neuroscience, this paper proposes a theoretical model for understanding the multiple functions of music when used in reminiscence therapy, and describes how music-assisted reminiscence therapy might be used to improve the wellbeing of older people. The SEED model proposes that music, when used together with reminiscence interventions, helps to: 1) summon autobiographical memories; 2) evoke strong emotional reactions; 3) elicit physiological responses; and 4) define identity. Evidence for the four proposed functions of music in reminiscence interventions is presented. The SEED model expands on previous research and theory on music and reminiscence, neural and cognitive processing, and the therapeutic use of music. The SEED model maps the benefits and indicators for the use of music in reminiscence therapy and provides a blueprint for research to test the purported benefits of using music to enhance reminiscence therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romy Engelbrecht
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.
| | - Sunil Bhar
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
| | - Joseph Ciorciari
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
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12
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Warne N, Rice F. Links between depressive symptoms and the observer perspective for autobiographical memories and imagined events: a high familial risk study. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2021.1922418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Warne
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Frances Rice
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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13
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Barry TJ, Gregory JD, Latorre JM, Ros L, Nieto M, Ricarte JJ. A multi-method comparison of autobiographical memory impairments amongst younger and older adults. Aging Ment Health 2021; 25:856-863. [PMID: 32162531 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1729338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Research indicates that, compared to younger adults, older adults have difficulty recalling memories of specific past events (those lasting less than 24 h) and this difficulty is associated with depression. These studies are largely confined to a single measure of specific memory recall and there are conflicting findings when alternative measures are used. This investigation provides the first comparison of memory specificity between younger and older adults using several different measures.Method: Older (n = 105) and younger (n = 88) adults completed the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), Autobiographical Memory Interview (AMI) and Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT) and the number of specific memories was quantified for each measure. Participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory Version II (BDI-II).Results: Compared to younger adults, older adults recalled fewer specific memories in the AMT and more specific memories in the AMI. This latter effect was particularly pronounced for memories related to childhood. There was no group difference in responses in the SCEPT. There was no evidence of an association between memory specificity and depression for any of the measures.Conclusion: Older adults have difficulty retrieving specific memories after cuing by nouns and adjectives, as in the AMT, but they have enhanced recall of specific memories after cuing by life periods, as in the AMI, and this is particularly true of memories related to childhood. Individual differences in memory specificity are not related to depression symptoms in healthy samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom J Barry
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Department of Psychology, The Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James D Gregory
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Jose M Latorre
- Department of Psychology, University of Castilla La Mancha, Albacete, Spain.,School of Medicine, Applied Cognitive Research Unit, Albacete, Spain
| | - Laura Ros
- Department of Psychology, University of Castilla La Mancha, Albacete, Spain.,School of Medicine, Applied Cognitive Research Unit, Albacete, Spain
| | - Marta Nieto
- Department of Psychology, University of Castilla La Mancha, Albacete, Spain.,School of Medicine, Applied Cognitive Research Unit, Albacete, Spain
| | - Jorge J Ricarte
- Department of Psychology, University of Castilla La Mancha, Albacete, Spain.,School of Medicine, Applied Cognitive Research Unit, Albacete, Spain
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14
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Grace L, Dewhurst SA, Anderson RJ. The effect of dysphoria on the relationship between autobiographical memories and the self. Cogn Emot 2020; 35:71-83. [PMID: 32744125 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1802231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments investigated the bi-directional relationship between episodic autobiographical memories (ABMs) and semantic self-images in dysphoric and nondysphoric individuals. Participants in Experiment 1 generated positive and negative "I am" statements, which were then used to cue specific ABMs. Nondysphoric participants generated similar numbers of ABMs to positive and negative cues, suggesting both positive and negative self-images are supported by clusters of specific ABMs. The same was observed in dysphoric participants, but phenomenological ratings showed that they rated positive ABMs as less vivid, and negative ABMs more central to their life story, than the nondysphoric group. Participants in Experiment 2 retrieved positive or negative ABMs and then generated "I am" self-statements. Retrieving positive ABMs increased the positivity of self-statements in the nondysphoric but not the dysphoric group. These findings suggest the interaction between ABMs and self-images functions to promote a positive view of the self, but this is disrupted in dysphoria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Grace
- Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, UK
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15
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McFadden E, Siedlecki KL. Do depressive symptoms and subjective well-being influence the valence or visual perspective of autobiographical memories in young adults? Memory 2020; 28:506-515. [PMID: 32162583 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2020.1737713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The present study examines predictors of autobiographical memory valence and visual perspective. Participants (N = 144) between the ages of 18-35 years completed an online survey assessing depressive symptoms, and different aspects of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect). Participants retrieved six autobiographical memories cued via positive, negative, and neutral words and completed a questionnaire assessing characteristics of the memories, including memory valence and visual perspective. Using structural equation modelling, we found that the valence of neutral cued memories were significantly negatively associated with depressive symptoms and negative affect, and significantly positively associated with life satisfaction, even after controlling for current mood. Depressive symptoms were generally not significantly related to visual perspective. These results support previous findings that depressive symptoms and well-being are related to differences in memory characteristics but suggest that some of the relationships may be less robust when examined in a non-clinical sample.
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16
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Peters S, Sheldon S. Interindividual Differences in Cognitive Functioning Are Associated with Autobiographical Memory Retrieval Specificity in Older Adults. GEROPSYCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1024/1662-9647/a000219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Abstract. We examined whether interindividual differences in cognitive functioning among older adults are related to episodic memory engagement during autobiographical memory retrieval. Older adults ( n = 49, 24 males; mean age = 69.93; mean education = 15.45) with different levels of cognitive functioning, estimated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), retrieved multiple memories (generation task) and the details of a single memory (elaboration task) to cues representing thematic or event-specific autobiographical knowledge. We found that the MoCA score positively predicted the proportion of specific memories for generation and episodic details for elaboration, but only to cues that represented event-specific information. The results demonstrate that individuals with healthy, but not unhealthy, cognitive status can leverage contextual support from retrieval cues to improve autobiographical specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Peters
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Rathbone CJ, Ellis JA, Ahmed S, Moulin CJA, Ernst A, Butler CR. Using memories to support the self in Alzheimer's disease. Cortex 2019; 121:332-346. [PMID: 31670028 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The impact of memory loss on the self in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is poorly understood. Previous research is mixed on whether episodic or semantic memories are most important for supporting identity. The present study examined autobiographical memories cued by self-images (e.g., I am a father) and non-self-related cues in 16 AD patients and 29 healthy older adults. The AD group generated fewer self-images and memories compared to controls, but demonstrated similar temporal organization of self-cued memories. In both groups, self-images were supported by semantic memories that were temporally clustered around times of identity-formation. These self-supporting memories are proposed to form a scaffold to support the self and may persist the longest in AD, as opposed to memories from early adulthood per se. In both AD and control groups, self-images cued more semantic memories than non-self-relevant cues, further suggesting that semantic autobiographical memories play a fundamental role in supporting the self. These findings demonstrate that the self remains largely intact in AD, in spite of severe episodic memory deficits and global cognitive decline. In later stages of the disease, these self-supporting memories could provide effective tools for reminiscence therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare J Rathbone
- Department of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.
| | - Judi A Ellis
- University of Reading, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, Reading, UK
| | - Samrah Ahmed
- University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford, UK
| | - Chris J A Moulin
- LPNC, CNRS UMR 5015, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Alexandra Ernst
- LPNC, CNRS UMR 5015, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Chris R Butler
- University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford, UK; Department of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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"All is not lost"-Rethinking the nature of memory and the self in dementia. Ageing Res Rev 2019; 54:100932. [PMID: 31238174 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.100932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Memory and the self have long been considered intertwined, leading to the assumption that without memory, there can be no self. This line of reasoning has led to the misconception that a loss of memory in dementia necessarily results in a diminished sense of self. Here, we challenge this assumption by considering discrete facets of self-referential memory, and their relative profiles of loss and sparing, across three neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's disease, semantic dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. By exploring canonical expressions of the self across past, present, and future contexts in dementia, relative to healthy ageing, we reconcile previous accounts of loss of self in dementia, and propose a new framework for understanding and managing everyday functioning and behaviour. Notably, our approach highlights the multifaceted and dynamic nature in which the temporally-extended self is likely to change in healthy and pathological ageing, with important ramifications for development of person-centred care. Collectively, we aim to promote a cohesive sense of self in dementia across past, present, and future contexts, by demonstrating how, ultimately, 'All is not lost'.
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Tavitian-Elmadjian L, Bender M, Van de Vijver FJR, Chasiotis A, Harb C. Autobiographical recall of mastery experiences is a mechanism of self-affirming under social identity threat. The Journal of Social Psychology 2019; 160:39-60. [PMID: 31096859 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2019.1606775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Autobiographical memories are relevant to many areas of psychological functioning. So far, however, there is no evidence whether personal memories can also be instrumental for self-affirmation. We conducted two experiments, varying national identity threat among U.S. Americans recruited through MTurk. In Study 1, participants spontaneously recalled autobiographical memories after being exposed to varying levels of threat. When the threat was identity-relevant, those who spontaneously recalled mastery autobiographical memories had higher collective self-esteem than those who did not. In Study 2, we instructed participants to recall either mastery autobiographical memories or routine memories. When the threat was identity-relevant, collective self-esteem was again higher for mastery recall compared to routine recall, moderated by national identification and self-esteem. We also found a general, self-affirmative effect of autobiographical memories, regardless of threat relevance or recall content. Findings provide a first empirical demonstration that autobiographical recall can enhance self-affirmation in identity threat situations.
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Nyström MBT, Sörman DE, Kormi-Nouri R, Rönnlund M. To what extent is subjective well-being in late adulthood related to subjective and objective memory functioning? Five-year cross-lagged panel analyses. Aging Ment Health 2019; 23:92-99. [PMID: 29086589 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1394439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population aging motivated a focus in contemporary research on factors, e.g. cognitive functioning, that contribute to 'aging well.' However, something that has been overlooked is relation between memory functioning, determined by objective tests as well as subjective memory ratings, and subjective well-being (SWB). OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal (cross-lagged) relationships between episodic memory (both subjective and objective) and SWB. METHOD A total of 586 older individuals (60-90 years) were assessed on multiple measures of the targeted constructs at baseline (Time 1) as part of the Betula cohort study. Five years later (Time 2), 354 of the participants returned for follow-up measurements and were included in cross-lagged panel analyses. RESULTS As expected, objective memory and subjective memory showed a pattern of cross-sectional age deficits and a mean level longitudinal decline was observed for objective memory. By contrast, SWB showed stable mean levels both across age and time. No cross-sectional or cross-lagged associations were observed between SWB and objective memory, whereas subjective memory and SWB showed a cross-sectional association. CONCLUSION The results underscore that successful aging is a multifaceted construct with no or only weak associations between the investigated components. However, SWB and rate of change at the individual level should be considered to define successful aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus B T Nyström
- a Deparment of Psychology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b The Graduate School in Population Dynamics and Public Policy , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | | | - Reza Kormi-Nouri
- c School of Law, Psychology and Social Work , Örebro University , Örebro , Sweden
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Altintas E, Gallouj K, El Haj M. The shifting self in aging. Aging Clin Exp Res 2018; 30:1505-1512. [PMID: 30406359 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-018-1069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS This study investigated the ability of older adults to shift between self-images. METHODS We designed a shifting-self task in which older adults and younger adults were invited to produce statements describing their physical self (e.g., "I am tall") and psychological self (e.g., "I am cheerful"). Participants were invited to shift between physical-self statements and psychological-self statements and, on a control task, to produce two blocks of physical-self statements and psychological-self statements. They also performed a typical shifting task (i.e., the plus-minus task). RESULTS Analysis showed slower completion time on the shifting-self task in older adults than in younger adults. Time to complete the shifting-self task was longer than that for the control task in both older and younger adults. Performances on the shifting-self task were significantly correlated with performances on the plus-minus task. DISCUSSION We hypothesized that older adults take more time to shift between self-images because they enjoy self-stability. In other words, the tendency of older adults to shift between self-images more slowly than younger adults might be because they have more consistent or stable self-concepts, and are therefore less inclined to "change" their self-images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emin Altintas
- Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France
- Laboratoire PSITEC, Psychologie: Interactions Temps Émotions Cognition, Université Lille Nord de France, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Karim Gallouj
- Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France
| | - Mohamad El Haj
- Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France.
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
- Faculté de Psychologie, LPPL, Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (EA 4638), Université de Nantes, Chemin de la Censive du Tertre, BP 81227, 44312, Nantes Cedex 3, France.
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Jackson JD, Luu C, Vigderman A, Leshikar ED, St Jacques PL, Gutchess A. Reduction of the Self-Reference Effect in Younger and Older Adults. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 12:257-270. [PMID: 31263517 DOI: 10.1037/pne0000142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Relating information to the self improves memory. However, this self-reference effect (SRE) is typically studied through explicit self-judgments on individual trials. The current study assessed whether a self-referential mode of thought, induced through a writing task, also induced an SRE on a later task. The study also tested the effects of aging on the SRE, given that a long-lasting mnemonic strategy may be especially relevant for this group. Ninety-two younger adults and 60 older adults were assigned to different writing conditions and then completed an unrelated SRE task. Across younger and older adults, the classic SRE effect was observed in the narrative writing condition, reduced in the semantic self-reference condition, and further reduced in the episodic self-reference condition. These results support the induction of a self-referential mode of thought, but this mode does not enhance memory. The classic SRE effect can be reduced after thinking about the self by reflecting on autobiographical memories. Results argue for a single shared self-referential mechanism that can be accessed through self-focused writing or the classic SRE task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Jackson
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Cindy Luu
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | - Eric D Leshikar
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois - Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Angela Gutchess
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
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Wilson FCL, Gregory JD. Overgeneral autobiographical memory and depression in older adults: a systematic review. Aging Ment Health 2018; 22:575-586. [PMID: 28541754 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1326461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is a well-researched phenomenon in working age adults with depression. However, the relevance and importance of OGM in older adult depression is not well established. The aim of this review was to synthesise existing literature on OGM and depressive symptoms in older adults under the framework of the Capture and Rumination, Functional Avoidance and Impaired Executive Control (CaR-FA-X) model. METHOD Literature searches were conducted using PsychINFO, PubMed and Web of Knowledge. Eighteen articles were reviewed. RESULTS OGM is elevated in healthy older adults compared to adults of working age, and further elevated in older adults with depression. Evidence supports the role of impaired executive function as a mechanism for OGM in older adults with depression, but no studies measured other components of the CaR-FA-X model (i.e. functional avoidance and rumination). CONCLUSION OGM is prevalent in older adults and more so for those with depression; however, there is no clear understanding of the underpinning mechanisms. It is recommended that future research looks at the role of functional avoidance and rumination, and at the use of memory specificity interventions being developed in the working age adult literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- F C L Wilson
- a Cossham Memorial Hospital , North Bristol NHS Trust , Bristol , United Kingdom
| | - J D Gregory
- b Department of Psychology , University of Bath , Bath , United Kingdom
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Rathbone CJ, Moulin CJA. Exploring Memories of the Self: 2412 Self-image Norms for Adults Aged 17 to 88. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1445. [PMID: 28878727 PMCID: PMC5572507 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Clare J. Rathbone
- Department of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxford, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Clare J. Rathbone
| | - Chris J. A. Moulin
- LPNC, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 5015, Université Pierre Mendès FranceGrenoble, France
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Steiner KL, Thomsen DK, Pillemer DB. Life Story Chapters, Specific Memories, and Conceptions of the Self. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dorthe Kirkegaard Thomsen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences; Center on Autobiographical Memory, Research (CON AMORE); Aarhus University; Aarhus Denmark
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Shi Y, Sedikides C, Cai H, Liu Y, Yang Z. Disowning the Self: The Cultural Value of Modesty can Attenuate Self-Positivity. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2017; 70:1023-1032. [DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2015.1099711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Western participants endorse a higher number of positive traits as self-descriptive, but endorse a lower number of negative traits as self-descriptive. They also respond quicker to categorize positive traits as self-descriptive, but respond slower to categorize negative traits as self-descriptive. Is this self-positivity bias qualified by the cultural value of modesty? We induced modesty (vs. punctuality) and assessed self-descriptiveness judgments and response times among Chinese participants. We replicated the self-positivity bias in regards to both self-descriptiveness judgments and response times. In the case of self-descriptiveness judgments, however, the bias was partially qualified by modesty. Relative to control participants, those in the modesty condition endorsed fewer positive traits as self-descriptive and manifested a tendency toward endorsing more negative traits as self-descriptive. In the case of response times, the self-positivity bias was unqualified by modesty. Within both conditions, participants were quicker to categorize positive traits as self-descriptive and were slower to categorize negative traits as self-descriptive. The results speak to the relation between the self-positivity bias and the self-reference effect and illustrate the malleability of self-processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Shi
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Huajian Cai
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunzhi Liu
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyan Yang
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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It is not only memory: effects of sensecam on improving well-being in patients with mild alzheimer disease. Int Psychogeriatr 2017; 29:741-754. [PMID: 28124633 DOI: 10.1017/s104161021600243x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive interventions (either restorative or compensatory) developed for mild Alzheimer's Disease (AD) have been tested widely with cognitive measures, but less is known about how the effects of such interventions are generalizable to daily functioning. In the present study, we looked at affective state and perceived functionality and quality of life indicators, for three different cognitive rehabilitation programs. METHODS Fifty-one AD patients in the mild stage of the disease were selected for the study and were randomly assigned to one of three cognitive training groups: (1) Memo+ (a paper and pencil memory training program); (2) SenseCam (wearable camera used as a passive external memory aid); (3) Written diary (a personal journal, used as control condition). All patients attended 11 sessions, twice a week, of 1-hour length. The three outcome indicators were examined with standardized instruments applied before the intervention, one week after and at six months follow-up. RESULTS After treatment, the SenseCam and Memo+ groups had significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to the Diary control condition. The same was found for measures of perceived functional capacity. No intervention effects were found for quality of life measures. The immediate effects of the interventions were not maintained at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that two types of memory rehabilitation can improve depressive symptomology and instrumental activities of daily living, suggesting that these interventions can stimulate not only cognition but also well-being, at least in the short term.
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Ernst A, Gourisse L, Wauquiez G, Souchay C. Autobiographical memory and the self in a single-case of chronic unilateral spatial neglect. Neurocase 2016; 22:276-80. [PMID: 27112787 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2016.1175634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is mainly defined as a condition affecting perception and the mental representation of the environment. However, nothing is known about its impact on the ability to mentally represent one's past and on personal identity. We addressed these questions in a case of chronic USN, DR, a 59-year-old right-handed woman, who underwent a variety of measures exploring the self and autobiographical memory (AM). DR showed preserved self-images and her AM performance was only preserved when memories were prompted by her own self-images and not by self-unrelated cues. Our findings are discussed in light of the interconnection between the self and AM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Ernst
- a Laboratoire d'Etude de l'Apprentissage et du Développement , Université de Bourgogne , Dijon , France
| | - Laurène Gourisse
- a Laboratoire d'Etude de l'Apprentissage et du Développement , Université de Bourgogne , Dijon , France
| | - Grégoire Wauquiez
- b Pôle Rééducation , Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Dijon , Dijon , France
| | - Céline Souchay
- c Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, UMR CNRS 5105 , Université Pierre Mendès France , Grenoble , France
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Sedikides C, Green JD, Saunders J, Skowronski JJ, Zengel B. Mnemic neglect: Selective amnesia of one’s faults. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/10463283.2016.1183913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Constantine Sedikides
- Centre for Research on Self and Identity, Psychology Department, University of Southampton, Southampton, S017 1BJ, England, UK
| | - Jeffrey D. Green
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Jo Saunders
- School of Psychological Sciences & Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1QE, Scotland, UK
| | - John J. Skowronski
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2892, USA
| | - Bettina Zengel
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2892, USA
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Self-images in the present and future: Role of affect and the bipolar phenotype. J Affect Disord 2015; 187:97-100. [PMID: 26322714 PMCID: PMC4595481 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.08.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 07/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bipolar Spectrum Disorder (BPSD) is associated with changes in self-related processing and affect, yet the relationship between self-image and affect in the BPSD phenotype is unclear. METHODS 47 young adults were assessed for hypomanic experiences (BPSD phenotype) using the Mood Disorders Questionnaire. Current and future self-images (e.g. I am… I will be…) were generated and rated for emotional valence, stability, and (for future self-images only) certainty. The relationship between self-image ratings and measures of affect (depression, anxiety and mania) were analysed in relation to the BPSD phenotype. RESULTS The presence of the BPSD phenotype significantly moderated the relationship between (1) affect and stability ratings for negative self-images, and (2) affect and certainty ratings for positive future self-images. Higher positivity ratings for current self-images were associated with lower depression and anxiety scores. LIMITATIONS This was a non-clinical group of young adults sampled for hypomanic experiences, which limits the extension of the work to clinical levels of psychopathology. This study cannot address the causal relationships between affect, self-images, and BPSD. Future work should use clinical samples and experimental mood manipulation designs. CONCLUSIONS BPSD phenotype can shape the relationship between affect and current and future self-images. This finding will guide future clinical research to elucidate BPSD vulnerability mechanisms and, consequently, the development of early interventions.
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Grilli MD, Verfaellie M. Supporting the self-concept with memory: insight from amnesia. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 10:1684-92. [PMID: 25964501 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the extent to which personal semantic memory supports the self-concept in individuals with medial temporal lobe amnesia and healthy adults. Participants completed eight 'I Am' self-statements. For each of the four highest ranked self-statements, participants completed an open-ended narrative task, during which they provided supporting information indicating why the I Am statement was considered self-descriptive. Participants then completed an episodic probe task, during which they attempted to retrieve six episodic memories for each of these self-statements. Supporting information was scored as episodic, personal semantic or general semantic. In the narrative task, personal semantic memory predominated as self-supporting information in both groups. The amnesic participants generated fewer personal semantic memories than controls to support their self-statements, a deficit that was more pronounced for trait relative to role self-statements. In the episodic probe task, the controls primarily generated unique event memories, but the amnesic participants did not. These findings demonstrate that personal semantic memory, in particular autobiographical fact knowledge, plays a critical role in supporting the self-concept, regardless of the accessibility of episodic memories, and they highlight potential differences in the way traits and roles are supported by personal memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Grilli
- Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mieke Verfaellie
- Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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