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Mace JH, Keller SR. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming: the role of stimulus processing. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:1941-1951. [PMID: 38980357 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01999-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
It is now well established that semantic processing can cause the activation of memories in the autobiographical memory system. Studies have shown that semantic processing of words, sounds, objects, or pictures primes autobiographical memories on voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memory tasks (the Crovitz cue-word task and the vigilance task). Known as semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, our goal in the current study was to demonstrate that this form of priming occurs under different forms of processing (i.e., shallow versus deep), and that some forms of processing (e.g., visual mental imagery) may enhance priming in this domain. In Experiment 1, equivalent semantic-to-autobiographical priming was obtained on the vigilance task following shallow (e-counting) and deep (meaning judgements) word processing. In Experiment 2, word meaning judgements were compared to visual imagery of word meanings, and visual imagery led to more semantic-to-autobiographical priming on the vigilance task than meaning judgements. The results of these experiments support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical priming occurs under a wide range of processing conditions, supporting a ubiquity claim, with some conditions producing more priming than others, and they further support the idea that this form of may play an important role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA.
| | - Sophia R Keller
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
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2
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Mace JH, Keller SR, Ingle KE. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming: the role of cue repetition. Memory 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39167723 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2024.2393782] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
It is now well established that general information processing causes the activation of memories in the autobiographical memory system, and these memories on occasion emerge as involuntary autobiographical memories. This priming phenomenon has been dubbed semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, and our goal in the current study was to examine the effects of cue/prime repetition on the production of involuntary autobiographical memories that were primed with semantic stimuli. In three experiments, participants were primed with words (e.g., cat), and then they were given an involuntary memory task (the vigilance task), which contained cues related to the primed stimuli. In Experiment 1, the cues were phrases containing the primes (e.g., getting a cat), which were presented one or five times. In Experiment 2, the cues were also phrases containing the primes (e.g., getting a cat), but they changed their context (e.g., feeding a cat), every time they repeated in the five-presentation condition. Experiment 3 also presented the cues one or five times, but the cues were replicas of the primes (e.g., cat). Consistent with predictions, greater priming was found in the five-presentation cue conditions in all three experiments, and Experiment 3 failed to find priming in the one-presentation cue condition, also consistent with predictions. We explain the findings in terms of semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming theory, and also argue that the results help explain the production of involuntary memories in everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
| | - Sophia R Keller
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
| | - Kenneth E Ingle
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
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3
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Mace JH, Keller SR. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming occurs when stimuli are presented below the threshold of awareness. Conscious Cogn 2024; 123:103723. [PMID: 38996748 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103723] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
A number of studies have now shown that general information processing causes the activation of memories in the autobiographical memory system. These studies have shown that general processing of words, sounds, objects, or pictures primes autobiographical memories on voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memory tasks (the Crovitz cue-word task and the vigilance task). Deemed semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, our goal in the current study was to demonstrate that this form of priming causes the unconscious activation of autobiographical memories (autobiographical automaticity) at the point of priming. Participants named words under subliminal and supraliminal conditions and then received a test of priming (the vigilance task). The results showed that words that were processed below the threshold of awareness were equally likely as words processed above the threshold of awareness to prime the production of involuntary autobiographical memories on the vigilance task. The results support the idea that autobiographical memory activations in semantic-to-autobiographical priming is both unintentional and unconscious.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA.
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4
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Mace JH, Ostermeier KL. Obtaining semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming on the vigilance task with non-verbal cues. Mem Cognit 2024; 52:1357-1367. [PMID: 38478294 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-024-01547-2] [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] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024]
Abstract
Recent research has shown that the activation of semantic memories leads to the activation of autobiographical memories. Known as semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, this form of priming has been demonstrated to prime involuntary and voluntary autobiographical memories with a wide variety of different primes (i.e., various verbal and non-verbal stimuli). However, only verbal cues have been used in the memory measures, leaving open the question of how non-verbal cues might function. Our goal in the current study was to show that non-verbal cues are also involved in semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming. Participants were primed with words, and then they were treated to an involuntary autobiographical memory task (the vigilance task) where they received either word cues or pictorial cues. The results showed that both the word cues and the pictorial cues had captured primed involuntary memories on the vigilance task relative to controls. The results support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory primes occur with both verbal and non-verbal cues, potentially indicating substantial cue diversity. The results also further support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming may play an important role in the production of involuntary autobiographical memories in everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA.
| | - Kendra L Ostermeier
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
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5
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Mace JH. Priming in the autobiographical memory system: implications and future directions. Memory 2024; 32:694-708. [PMID: 37922385 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2277134] [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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Studies examining priming in autobiographical memory are fewer in number (some two dozen) compared to other areas (e.g., semantic memory priming), which have seen hundreds of studies. Nevertheless, autobiographical memory priming studies have utilised quite a number of different experimental paradigms, with many having interesting ecological implications. This paper reviews the bulk of these studies. It discusses the various theoretical implications of these studies, past and present. It suggests numerous future directions in this area, as the study of priming in autobiographical memory has had significant implications, despite the small number of studies, and it offers enormous future potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
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6
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Berntsen D. Direct retrieval as a theory of involuntary autobiographical memories: evaluation and future directions. Memory 2024; 32:709-722. [PMID: 38109122 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2294690] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
I evaluate the conception of direct retrieval as originally formulated in the Self-Memory System model (Conway & Pleydell-Pearce [2000]. The construction of autobiographical memories in the self-memory system. Psychological Review, 107(2), 261-288. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.107.2.261). In the hierarchical memory organisation proposed in the Self-Memory System model, direct retrieval is described as a bottom-up associative process. While its theoretical role within this model is clear, systematic empirical examination of direct retrieval, viewed as a natural and observable phenomenon, has been hampered by inconsistent operationalisations. Here, I suggest that direct retrieval should be treated as a theoretical concept, aiming at explaining the phenomenon of involuntary (spontaneously arising) autobiographical memories. I evaluate predictions derived from the concept of direct retrieval against findings on involuntary autobiographical memories obtained over the past 25 years. Most of these predictions are consistent with the evidence, notably, the enhanced episodic specificity and constructive nature of involuntary autobiographical memories. However, the theory also has critical limitations. It did not predict the frequent occurrence of involuntary recollections in daily life, exceeding the prevalence of voluntary memories. Additionally, it overlooked the early emergence of spontaneously arising event memories in ontogenesis and their presence in other species, such as great apes. Future advancements of the Self-Memory System model should integrate evolutionary perspectives to address these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorthe Berntsen
- Center on Autobiographical Memory Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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7
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Laughland A, Kvavilashvili L. The frequency and cueing mechanisms of involuntary autobiographical memories while driving. Memory 2024; 32:723-737. [PMID: 38166488 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2296826] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) have been typically studied with paper diaries, kept for a week or longer. However, such studies are unable to capture the true frequency of IAMs, nor the level of detail that would give new insights into the mechanisms of IAMs. To address this gap, a new audio-recording method was developed and tested on the first author who recorded 674 IAMs while driving a car on a 30-40-minute-long habitual route on 20 occasions. Results revealed very high frequency of IAMs (almost 34 per journey) that were reported more often in response to dynamic (one-off) than static cues. Moreover, a substantial number of memory chains and long-term priming of IAMs by previously encountered incidental stimuli were also recorded. Based on these results, a new theoretical model is proposed in which the occurrence of IAMs is determined by an interplay of factors at the time of the IAM, such as the type of ongoing activity and internal or external triggers, as well as different types of long-term priming. The results also have practical implications for studying mind-wandering and safety issues in driving and aircraft-flying, where periods of concentration are followed by monotony and less demanding tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Laughland
- Department of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
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Talbot J, Gatti D, Boccalari M, Marchetti M, Mitaritonna D, Convertino G, Stockner M, Mazzoni G. Dimensions of a hyper memory: investigating the factors modulating exceptional retrieval in a single case of highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM). Memory 2024; 32:604-614. [PMID: 38727555 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2024.2351576] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) is a rare form of exceptional memory, characterised by an ability to recall personal episodes in response to dates. The single case "DT" is one of less than 100 HSAM individuals globally, and little is known about how these individuals organise the vast number of events they can recollect. We administered 2 novel priming tasks to explore navigation between autobiographical memories. In both tasks, a "prime" date appeared on the screen and DT was instructed to access and begin reliving a specific memory from that date. After 3 s, a "target" date appeared, and DT switched to the new memory. Latencies were recorded. Experiment 1 explored the influence of emotional valence on memory navigation. DT was quicker moving from positive or negative memories to neutral memories, compared to between neutral memories, supporting the role of emotionality in connecting memories in HSAM. Experiment 2 investigated semantic content and mental timeline configuration's role in organisation. DT was faster moving forward (e.g., 1996-1997) than backwards (e.g., 2023-2022), indicating a forwards perception of time. No differences were observed regarding semantic content. Results provide insight into DT's memory dimensions and support the use of this task to explore organisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Talbot
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Gatti
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Boccalari
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Michela Marchetti
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Mara Stockner
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuliana Mazzoni
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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Dodier O, Barzykowski K, Souchay C. Recovered memories of trauma as a special (or not so special) form of involuntary autobiographical memories. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1268757. [PMID: 38155697 PMCID: PMC10754046 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1268757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Recovered memories of trauma are memories of traumatic events experienced generally during childhood, but of which the persons were unaware until they retrieved it. Legal decisions are sometimes based on such recovered memories, the validity of which is often questioned. Yet, people can recover genuine traumatic memories of childhood abuse. In this paper, we present and further discuss the idea that recovered traumatic memories can be interpreted in the context of the autobiographical memory framework. Specifically, we argue that recovered memories may be accessed after exposure to incidental cues that initiate unexpected spontaneous memory retrieval. Thus, we relate the recovered memory phenomenon to involuntary autobiographical memories and argue that it is an example of highly stressful, emotionally negative, and intense involuntary memories that were yet never recalled. This novel, evidence-based perspective leads us to reconsider the examination of the validity of eyewitness testimony as a continuum ranging from the least valid form (i.e., memories recovered in highly suggestive context facilitating its factitious reconstruction) to the most valid form (i.e., memories that were triggered by cues without any person's voluntary engagement), and this in relation with how internal (e.g., age and internal cue) or external (e.g., suggestion in therapy, suggestion during investigative interview, and contextual cue) factors may influence memory retrieval. Finally, we propose several recommendations for experts that may be useful in assessing the validity of a testimony based on recovered memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Dodier
- APSY-V Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Literature, Languages and History, University of Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Céline Souchay
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, LPNC CNRS 5105, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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10
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Barzykowski K, Moulin CJA. Further advancing theories of retrieval of the personal past. Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e384. [PMID: 37961810 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23002765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
In our target article, we presented the idea that involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) and déjà vu may both be based on the same retrieval processes. Our core claim was thus straightforward: Both can be described as "involuntary" or spontaneous cognitions, where IAMs deliver content and déjà vu delivers only the feeling of retrieval. Our proposal resulted in 27 commentaries covering a broad range of perspectives and approaches. The majority of them have not only amplified our key arguments but also pushed our ideas further by offering extensions, refinements, discussing possible implications and providing additional empirical, neuroscientific and clinical support. The discussion launched by the commentaries proves to us the importance of bringing IAMs and déjà vu into mainstream discussions of memory retrieval processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Chris J A Moulin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Institut Universitaire de France
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11
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Mace JH. Are involuntary autobiographical memory and déjà vu cognitive failures? Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e368. [PMID: 37961774 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23000213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
This commentary supports Barzykowski and Moulin's model, but departs from it on the question of functionality, where IAMs and déjà vu fractionate. The authors seem to say that IAMs are functional, while déjà vu is not. As there is no hard evidence supporting the idea that IAMs are functional, I argue that both phenomena should be viewed as cognitive failures.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, https://www.eiu.edu/psych/
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12
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Morales-Torres R, De Brigard F. On the frequency and nature of the cues that elicit déjà vu and involuntary autobiographical memories. Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e370. [PMID: 37961786 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23000134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Barzykowski and Moulin suggest that déjà vu and involuntary autobiographical memories recruit similar retrieval processes. Here, we invite the authors to clarify three issues: (1) What mechanism prevents déjà vu to happen more frequently? (2) What is the role of semantic cues in involuntary autobiographical retrieval? and (3) How déjà vu relates to non-believed memories?
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Morales-Torres
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA ://www.imclab.org/people
| | - Felipe De Brigard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA ://www.imclab.org/people
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13
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Mace JH, Ostermeier KL, Zhu J. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming is ubiquitous. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:1729-1744. [PMID: 37173590 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-023-01430-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that the activation of semantic memories leads to the activation of autobiographical memories. Studies have shown that semantic processing of words or pictures primes autobiographical memories on voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memory tasks (the Crovitz cue-word task and the vigilance task). Known as semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, our goal in the current study was to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of this form of priming by showing that a wide variety of stimuli will prime involuntary autobiographical memories on the vigilance task. In Experiment 1, semantic-to-autobiographical priming was obtained on the vigilance task following the processing of sounds (e.g., the sound of bowling) and spoken words (e.g., the word bowling). In Experiment 2, semantic-to-autobiographical priming was observed on the vigilance task following tactile processing (e.g., the objects ball, glasses) and visual word processing (e.g., the words ball, glasses). In Experiment 3, semantic-to-autobiographical priming was observed on the vigilance task following the processing of videos (e.g., videos of a marching parade) and visual word processing (e.g., the word parade). The results of these experiments support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical activations occur across a wide variety of stimuli (e.g., linguistic, perceptual). The results also further support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming may play an important role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life. Additional implications (for priming theory and autobiographical memory functions) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA.
| | - Kendra L Ostermeier
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
| | - Jian Zhu
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
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14
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Jakubowski K, Belfi AM, Kvavilashvili L, Ely A, Gill M, Herbert G. Comparing music- and food-evoked autobiographical memories in young and older adults: A diary study. Br J Psychol 2023; 114:580-604. [PMID: 36779290 PMCID: PMC10363233 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has found that music brings back more vivid and emotional autobiographical memories than various other retrieval cues. However, such studies have often been low in ecological validity and constrained by relatively limited cue selection and predominantly young adult samples. Here, we compared music to food as cues for autobiographical memories in everyday life in young and older adults. In two separate four-day periods, 39 younger (ages 18-34) and 39 older (ages 60-77) adults recorded their music- and food-evoked autobiographical memories in paper diaries. Across both age groups, music triggered more frequent autobiographical memories, a greater proportion of involuntary memories, and memories rated as more personally important in comparison to food cues. Age differences impacted music- and food-evoked memories similarly, with older adults consistently recalling older and less specific memories, which they rated as more positive, vivid, and rehearsed. However, young and older adults did not differ in the number or involuntary nature of their recorded memories. This work represents an important step in understanding the phenomenology of naturally occurring music-evoked autobiographical memories across adulthood and provides new insights into how and why music may be a more effective trigger for personally valued memories than certain other everyday cues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy M. Belfi
- Department of Psychological Science, Missouri University of Science & Technology, USA
| | | | - Abbigail Ely
- Department of Psychological Science, Missouri University of Science & Technology, USA
| | - Mark Gill
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, UK
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15
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Jalbert MC, Hyman IE, Blythe JS, Staugaard SR. Investigating features that contribute to evaluations of intrusiveness for thoughts and memories. Conscious Cogn 2023; 110:103507. [PMID: 37001442 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
What makes a thought feel intrusive? One possibility is that traumatic experiences are the primary cause of intrusive thoughts and memories. Another possibility is that experiences of intrusiveness arise from the features involved with re-experiencing. We investigated several features that may lead a thought to feel intrusive: task-congruence, repetition, and affective content. In Experiment 1, participants listened to popular song clips expected to become stuck in one's head. In Experiment 2, participants were cued to recall their own autobiographical memories. We found that both songs and autobiographical memories replaying mentally felt more intrusive when they were incongruent with the current task, cued repeatedly, and had negative emotional content. Additionally, even liked songs and positive autobiographical memories were evaluated as highly intrusive under some conditions. Based on these findings, we argue that intrusiveness is not limited to traumatic thoughts, but rather is a context-dependent evaluation influenced by a variety of features.
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16
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Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming causes involuntary autobiographical memory production: The effects of single and multiple prime presentations. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:115-128. [PMID: 35835896 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-022-01342-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A number of studies (Mace et al., Memory & Cognition, 47, 299-312, 2019; Mace & Unlu, Memory & Cognition, 48, 931-941, 2020) have demonstrated that the activation of semantic memories leads to the activation of autobiographical memories on an involuntary memory task (the vigilance task; Schlagman & Kvavilashvili, Memory & Cognition, 36, 920-932, 2008), suggesting that this form of priming (semantic-to-autobiographical) plays a role in the production of involuntary autobiographical memories in everyday life. In the current study, we investigated the effects of prime repetition on involuntary memory production in the vigilance task. Primed participants were either treated to one priming session, where they judged the familiarity of words (e.g., parade), or three priming sessions, where they also judged the familiarity of words as well as decided whether sentences containing the words made sense (e.g., the parade dragged on for hours), and if their corresponding images were sensible (e.g., an image of a parade). The results showed that primed participants produced more involuntary memories with primed content on the vigilance task than control participants, and three-session primed participants produced more memories than one-session primed participants. Similar to other areas where prime repetition has been investigated (e.g., implicit memory, semantic priming), the results show that prime repetition enhances semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming. The results also further support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming may play a significant role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life, as concept repetition is a likely part of everyday experience. These implications, as well as others, are discussed.
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17
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Spontaneous verbal recall: A new look at the mechanisms involved in episodic memory retrieval in young children. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2022.101050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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18
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Barzykowski K, Moulin CJA. Are involuntary autobiographical memory and déjà vu natural products of memory retrieval? Behav Brain Sci 2022; 46:e356. [PMID: 36111499 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x22002035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) and déjà vu are phenomena that occur spontaneously in daily life. IAMs are recollections of the personal past, whereas déjà vu is defined as an experience in which the person feels familiarity at the same time as knowing that the familiarity is false. We present and discuss the idea that both IAMs and déjà vu can be explained as natural phenomena resulting from memory processing and, importantly, are both based on the same memory retrieval processes. Briefly, we hypothesise that both can be described as "involuntary" or spontaneous cognitions, where IAMs deliver content and déjà vu delivers only the feeling of retrieval. We map out the similarities and differences between the two, making a theoretical and neuroscientific account for their integration into models of memory retrieval and how the autobiographical memory literature can explain these quirks of daily life and unusual but meaningful phenomena. We explain the emergence of the déjà vu phenomenon by relating it to well-known mechanisms of autobiographical memory retrieval, concluding that IAMs and déjà vu lie on a continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Chris J A Moulin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Institut Universitaire de France
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19
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Mace JH, Hidalgo AM. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming affects involuntary autobiographical memory production after a long delay. Conscious Cogn 2022; 104:103385. [PMID: 35932638 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
It has recently been demonstrated that the activation of semantic memories primes involuntary autobiographical memories on a laboratory measure of involuntary memories (i.e., the vigilance task), suggesting that this form of priming (known as semantic-to-autobiographical) plays a role in the production of involuntary autobiographical memories in everyday life. Our goal in the current study was to replicate those priming effects, and show that they can have long durations. In a single experiment, semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming was obtained on the vigilance task following delays of several minutes and seven days. We argue that the results support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming plays a role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life. The full implications of delayed semantic-to-autobiographical priming are discussed.
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Sonne T, Kingo OS, Berntsen D, Krøjgaard P. On the importance of contextual cues for spontaneous recall in 35- and 46-month-old children. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022; 87:1155-1165. [PMID: 35908220 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01718-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence shows that returning to the same distinct lab setting after 1 week triggers spontaneous memories in 35- and 46-month-old children. However, it remains unclarified which specific cues are triggering spontaneous recall. We report two experiments in which distinct contextual cues were altered between encoding and test. In Experiment 1 (N = 76), the color of the box containing the event props was changed. Despite this change, the children still showed spontaneous recall. In Experiment 2 (N = 77), a more radical change was employed as the children returned to a completely differently furnished, and novel room. The children still engaged in spontaneous recall, although less frequently. Importantly, when comparing the number of children having spontaneous recollections, only about half as many children in Experiment 2 as in Experiment 1 exhibited spontaneous memories. These results underscore the importance of an encoding-retrieval match for spontaneous episodic memory in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine Sonne
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Center on Autobiographical Memory Research, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 11, 1350-424, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Osman S Kingo
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Center on Autobiographical Memory Research, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 11, 1350-424, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Dorthe Berntsen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Center on Autobiographical Memory Research, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 11, 1350-424, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Peter Krøjgaard
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Center on Autobiographical Memory Research, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 11, 1350-424, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
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21
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Philippe FL. Episodic memories as proxy or independent representations: A theoretical review and an empirical test of distinct episodic memories on work outcomes. NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.newideapsych.2021.100913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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22
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Mace JH, Kruchten EA. Involuntary memory production during voluntary memory production: perceived usefulness, relevance, and intrusiveness. Memory 2021; 30:161-171. [PMID: 34738501 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.1998540] [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: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Research on involuntary autobiographical memories has shown that such memories are also experienced as byproducts of voluntarily produced autobiographical memories [Mace, 2006. Episodic remembering creates access to involuntary conscious memory: Demonstrating involuntary recall on a voluntary recall task. Memory, 14(8), 917-924]. This study examined perceptions of these memories with respect to their evoking voluntary memories. Participants were engaged in an autobiographical memory recall task, and asked to report on the experience of involuntary memories. They were asked to report if involuntary memories and evoking voluntary memories were related, from the same lifetime period, if the involuntary memories had utility and relevance for evoking memories, and if the involuntary memories were experienced as intrusive. The results showed that involuntary memories were related to evoking voluntary memories, frequently from the same lifetime period, and generally not experienced as intrusive. While mostly perceived as relevant to evoking memories, less than one-half of the involuntary memories were perceived as useful. The results raise questions about the functional nature of this type of involuntary remembering.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
| | - Emilee A Kruchten
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
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Alteration of early attentional processing after analogue trauma exposure: evidence from event-related potentials. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:3671-3686. [PMID: 34618196 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06234-1] [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: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine whether exposure to an analogue traumatic event affects attentional processing of emotional information. Two groups of non-clinical participants matched on anxiety level, depression symptoms and stressful life events viewed either a trauma or a neutral film. They then performed an emotional Stroop task during which both continuous electroencephalographic activity was recorded and intrusive memories were measured. Results revealed that the valence effect (measured by the difference between emotional and neutral conditions) for the P1 amplitude was significantly greater in participants who viewed the trauma film than in participants who viewed the neutral film. This interaction was specific to words semantically related to the analogue trauma event and did not extend to all negative words. Further analyses revealed a relationship between intrusions frequency, P1 amplitude and emotional Stroop interference, indicating a link between attention and intrusive memories. Our findings suggest that exposure to potentially traumatic events has an important impact on neurocognitive function, even in the absence of psychopathology, and that this impact occurs at an early, possibly automatic stage of processing.
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Rasmussen KW, Salgado S, Daustrand M, Berntsen D. Using Nostalgia Films to Stimulate Spontaneous Autobiographical Remembering in Alzheimer’s Disease. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN MEMORY AND COGNITION 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Mace JH, Petersen EP, Kruchten EA. Elucidating the mental processes underlying the direct retrieval of autobiographical memories. Conscious Cogn 2021; 94:103190. [PMID: 34416411 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The literature on autobiographical memory retrieval has directed much attention to the concepts of direct retrieval (fast, automatic retrieval) and generative retrieval (slower, deliberative/strategic retrieval). Among the many findings reported on these phenomena, their relative prevalence has stood out as a central feature in many studies, with most studies reporting the frequency of direct retrieval as equal to or exceeding generative retrieval. In this study, we used the retrieve-aloud procedure (a method where participants verbalize their thoughts while retrieving) to delve more deeply into the nature of reports of ubiquitous direct retrieval. We hypothesized that much of the direct retrieval reported in literature is not bona fide direct retrieval (i.e., seemingly automatic retrieval), but is a combination of other retrieval processes, including generative-like retrieval processes. Our results supported this view, showing that less than one-half of all of the observed direct retrievals were bona fide direct retrieval, while the rest were a form of generative retrieval, or fell somewhere in between direct and generative retrieval. We argue that the results suggest that the prevalence of direct retrieval may be overestimated in the literature, and we further propose an alternative classification schema for direct retrievals.
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Abstract
The distinction between a semantic memory system, encompassing conceptual knowledge, and an episodic memory system, characterized by specific episodes, is one of the most important theoretical proposals in cognitive science. However, the distinction between systems has rarely been discussed in relation to spontaneous thought that comes to mind with reduced cognitive effort and intentionality. In this review, we propose that the growing research on spontaneous thought can contribute to current discussions on the interaction between the episodic and semantic systems. Firstly, we review research that shows that, as in deliberate retrieval, spontaneous thoughts are influenced by both episodic and semantic memory, as reflected by the mix of semantic and episodic elements in descriptions of spontaneous thoughts, as well as semantic priming effects in spontaneous thoughts. We integrate the current evidence based on the interplay between cues and semantic activation. Namely, we suggest that cues are key to access episodic memory and modulate the frequency of spontaneous thought, while semantic activation modulates the content of spontaneous thought. Secondly, we propose that spontaneous retrieval is a privileged area to explore the question of functional independence between systems, because it provides direct access to the episodic system. We review the evidence for spontaneous thought in semantic dementia, which suggests that episodic and semantic systems are functionally independent. We acknowledge the scarcity of evidence and suggest that future studies examine the contents of spontaneous thought descriptions and their neural correlates to test the functional relationship and inform the interaction between episodic and semantic systems.
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27
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Nusser L, Zimprich D. Order effects in the recall of autobiographical memories: evidence for an organisation along temporal and emotional features. Memory 2021; 29:379-395. [PMID: 33706675 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.1896735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Investigating the recall process of autobiographical memories (AMs) and, particularly, the order in which AMs are recalled has the potential to shed light on the organisation of autobiographical memory. However, research on order effects in the recall of AMs is relatively rare. Moreover, to date, no study addressed the question of where emotion fits into the organisation. The present study aimed to close this gap by examining whether emotional valence serves as one organising principle. Data come from 117 older adults (M = 74.11; SD = 7.06) who reported up to 39 AMs. The use of a multivariate multilevel model with autoregressive effects allows us to analyse the order effect within one person, as well as how the order effect differs between persons. The results replicated a temporal first-order effect that has been shown in previous studies and moreover, demonstrated a temporal second-order effect. Furthermore, our results indicated an emotional first-order effect that was even stronger than the temporal first-order effect and an emotional second-order effect. In addition, both first-order effects differed reliably between persons. Thus, the present study emphasises the need for considering emotion in current theoretical formulations of autobiographical memory and also of considering individual differences in the order of AMs recalled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Nusser
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Zimprich
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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28
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Barzykowski K, Mazzoni G. Do intuitive ideas of the qualities that should characterize involuntary and voluntary memories affect their classification? PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2021; 86:170-195. [PMID: 33582862 PMCID: PMC8821514 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-020-01465-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
It is assumed that the difference between voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memories lies in the intentionality to retrieve a memory assigned by the experimenter. Memories that are retrieved when people are instructed to do so in response to cues are considered voluntary (VAMs), those that pop up spontaneously are considered involuntary (IAMs). VAMs and IAMs so classified are also found to differ in terms of phenomenological characteristics, such as perceived accessibility, vividness etc. These differences are assumed to be due to differences in intentionality and the different retrieval processes at play. It is possible, however, that these differences (which are subjective attributions of phenomenological characteristics) are the result of metacognitive beliefs of what IAMs and VAMs should be. In two experiments, we investigated the possible role of these metacognitive beliefs. Participants rated IAMs and VAMs on a number of phenomenological characteristics in two conditions, when these memories were presented in blocks that specified whether they were retrieved in a voluntary or involuntary task, or when presented in a mixed list with no information provided. If metacognitive beliefs influence the reporting of memory properties, then the block presentation would increase the differences between the characteristics of the two types of memories. The results showed that, besides replicating the characteristics of IAMs and VAMs already observed in the literature, there were almost no differences between the blocked and the mixed lists. We discuss the results as supporting the idea that the difference in characteristics attributed to IAMs and VAMs reflect a genuine difference in the nature of the retrieval and is not the result of pre-existing metacognitive belief on what a voluntary and an involuntary memory should be.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland.
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29
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Mental Imagery in the Science and Practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives. Int J Cogn Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41811-021-00102-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMental imagery has a long history in the science and practice of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), stemming from both behavioural and cognitive traditions. The past decade or so has seen a marked increase in both scientific and clinical interest in mental imagery, from basic questions about the processes underpinning mental imagery and its roles in everyday healthy functioning, to clinical questions about how dysfunctions in mental imagery can cause distress and impairment, and how mental imagery can be used within CBT to effect therapeutic change. This article reflects on the current state of mental imagery in the science and practice of CBT, in the context of past developments and with a view to future challenges and opportunities. An ongoing interplay between the various strands of imagery research and the many clinical innovations in this area is recommended in order to realise the full therapeutic potential of mental imagery in CBT.
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30
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Berntsen D. Involuntary autobiographical memories and their relation to other forms of spontaneous thoughts. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190693. [PMID: 33308074 PMCID: PMC7741080 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Involuntary autobiographical memories are memories of personal events that come to mind spontaneously-that is, with no conscious initiation of the retrieval process. Such spontaneously arising memories were long ignored in cognitive psychology, which generally has focused on controlled and strategic forms of remembering, studied in laboratory settings. Recent evidence shows that involuntary memories of past events are highly frequent in daily life, and that they represent a context-sensitive, and associative way of recollecting past events that involves little executive control. They operate by constraints that favour recent events and events with a distinct feature overlap to the current situation, which optimizes the probability of functional relevance to the ongoing situation. In addition to adults, they are documented in young children and great apes and may be an ontogenetic and evolutionary forerunner of strategic retrieval of past events. Findings suggest that intrusive involuntary memories observed clinically after traumatic events should be viewed as a dysfunctional subclass of otherwise functional involuntary autobiographical memories. Because of their highly constrained, situation-dependent and automatic nature, involuntary autobiographical memories form a distinct category of spontaneous thought that cannot be equated with mind wandering. This article is part of the theme issue 'Offline perception: voluntary and spontaneous perceptual experiences without matching external stimulation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorthe Berntsen
- Center on Autobiographical Memory Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 11, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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31
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Liikkanen LA, Jakubowski K. Involuntary musical imagery as a component of ordinary music cognition: A review of empirical evidence. Psychon Bull Rev 2020; 27:1195-1217. [PMID: 32583211 PMCID: PMC7704448 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-020-01750-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Involuntary musical imagery (INMI) refers to a conscious mental experience of music that occurs without deliberate efforts to initiate or sustain it. This experience often consists of the repetition of a short fragment of a melody, colloquially called an "earworm." Here, we present the first comprehensive, qualitative review of published empirical research on INMI to date. We performed an extensive literature search and discovered, in total, 47 studies from 33 peer-reviewed articles that met the inclusion criteria for the review. In analyzing the content of these studies, we identified four major research themes, which concern the phenomenology, dynamics, individual differences, and musical features of INMI. The findings answer many questions of scientific interest-for instance, what is typical in terms of INMI frequency, duration, and content; which factors influence INMI onset; and whether demographic and personality factors can explain individual differences in susceptibility and responses to INMI. This review showcases INMI as a well-established phenomenon in light of a substantial body of empirical studies that have accumulated consistent results. Although the populations under study show an unfavorable bias towards Western, educated participants, the evidence depicts INMI as a universal psychological phenomenon, the possible function of which we do not yet fully understand. The concluding section introduces several suggestions for future research to expand on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lassi A Liikkanen
- Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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32
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Sheldon S, Peters S, Renoult L. Altering access to autobiographical episodes with prior semantic knowledge. Conscious Cogn 2020; 86:103039. [PMID: 33220651 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.103039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Within autobiographical knowledge, semantic and episodic memory are traditionally considered separate, but newer models place them along a continuum, which raises the possibility of an intermediate form of knowledge - personal semantics. This study tested how different types of semantics - general semantics and two forms of personal semantics - impact access to personal episodic memories. In two experiments, participants made a series of true/false judgments about a prime statement, which reflected a general semantic fact, a context-dependent (e.g., repeated event) or context-independent (e.g., trait), personal semantic fact and then retrieved a specific past episodic memory. There was a significantly stronger priming effect for accessing specific episodic memories after judging personal semantic facts versus general facts. We also found that context-dependent and -independent personal semantic facts had separable priming effects on episodic memory. These findings support a continuum model of memory and verifies that there are multiple forms of personal knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Sarah Peters
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Louis Renoult
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norfolk, UK
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33
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Blackwell SE, Dooley D, Würtz F, Woud ML, Margraf J. Inducing positive involuntary mental imagery in everyday life: an experimental investigation. Memory 2020; 28:1157-1172. [PMID: 32985372 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2020.1822413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Positive involuntary mental imagery occurs frequently in daily life but evidence as to its functions and importance is largely indirect. The current study investigated a method to induce positive involuntary imagery in daily life, which would allow direct testing of its impact. An unselected student sample (N = 80) completed a single session of a positive imagery cognitive bias modification (CBM) paradigm, which involved listening to and imagining brief positive imagery scripts. Participants then recorded any involuntary memories of the imagined training scenarios in a three-day diary before returning to the lab for a follow-up assessment. Participants were randomised to imagine the scenarios in either an emotionally involved or emotionally detached manner, providing a test of the role of emotion in the subsequent experience of involuntary memories. Participants reported experiencing involuntary memories of the training scenarios in their daily life, but the number recorded did not differ between the experimental conditions. Exploratory analyses suggested that more vivid imagery and recall testing were associated with a greater number of involuntary memories. The study highlights the potential of the imagery CBM paradigm to further our understanding of the functions and potential importance of positive involuntary mental imagery in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon E Blackwell
- Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniela Dooley
- Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Felix Würtz
- Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marcella L Woud
- Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jürgen Margraf
- Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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34
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When trying to recall our past, all roads lead to Rome: More evidence for the multi-process retrieval theory of autobiographical memory. Mem Cognit 2020; 49:438-450. [PMID: 32975760 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-020-01099-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we tested elements of the multi-process retrieval account of autobiographical memory, retrieval multiplicity, and retrieval selectivity. The retrieval multiplicity states that multiple different retrieval strategies are used to recall autobiographical memories, while the retrieval selectivity states that such retrieval strategies will vary in accord with the cuing environment. We tested these hypotheses across two experiments with the retrieve-aloud procedure. In the retrieve-aloud procedure, participants were required to verbalize their thoughts while attempting to retrieve personal memories in response to phrase cues (e.g., listening to music). Experiments 1 and 2 found support for the retrieval multiplicity by showing that participants used a variety of different retrieval processes (eight different processes in total), while Experiment 1 found support for the retrieval selectivity by showing that retrieval strategies varied across different cue types. The implications of the findings are discussed with respect to autobiographical memory, as well as semantic memory.
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35
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Mace JH, Petersen EP. Priming autobiographical memories: How recalling the past may affect everyday forms of autobiographical remembering. Conscious Cogn 2020; 85:103018. [PMID: 32932100 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.103018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the idea that when one recalls past episodes, that the content of those memories will activate additional episodic memories with like content, and such memories will then have the potential of surfacing in subsequent acts of involuntary and voluntary recall. We tested the episodic content priming hypothesis in two experiments. In Experiment 1, priming group participants first recalled memories about specific activities or events and then they were subsequently engaged in a word-cue voluntary autobiographical memory task. The results showed that priming group participants produced more episodic memories involving the primed content on this task than control participants occupied in the same task. In Experiment 2, episodic content priming was further tested on a measure of involuntary autobiographical memory (i.e., the vigilance task). The results on this task also revealed support for the episodic content priming hypothesis, including after a delay of 24 h.
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36
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Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming occurs across multiple sources: Implications for autobiographical remembering. Mem Cognit 2020; 48:931-941. [DOI: 10.3758/s13421-020-01029-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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37
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Abstract
We investigated whether the presence of imagery at retrieval was associated with the finding that negative pictures and scenes are recalled with greater perceptual detail. Participants were presented with 30 scenes taken from the International Affective Picture System that were rated either high or low on valence, but similarly on arousal. Recall was prompted with matched visual or verbal cues. During recall, participants reported any images that came to mind and rated them for vividness, whereas accuracy was rated independently. Imagery was described at test in response to over 60% of the stimuli. Whereas vividness was predicted by negative valence, images occurred more often in response to visual cues. The association of negative valence and visual cueing with better recall was observed only in the presence of reported imagery. These findings have important implications for models and experiments focusing on the recall and recognition of visual stimuli.
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38
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Affiliation(s)
- John H. Mace
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
| | - Merve Unlu
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
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39
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Cole S, Kvavilashvili L. Spontaneous future cognition: the past, present and future of an emerging topic. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2019; 83:631-650. [PMID: 31079226 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-019-01193-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In this Editorial, we discuss the past, present and future of an emerging and fast-developing field-spontaneous future cognition. In tracking the past of this research, the trajectories of research on mind-wandering, episodic future thinking and prospective memory are briefly examined, and their relation with spontaneous future cognition demarcated. Three broad methodological approaches (questionnaire, naturalistic and laboratory) used to study spontaneous future thoughts are described, providing an overview of the field. The present state of this research is represented by a themed analysis of the articles included in this Special Issue. The breadth of studies (covering cognitive mechanisms, developmental stages and psychopathology) have already led to important insights, especially concerning the conditions in which spontaneous future thoughts most commonly arise and who may be predisposed to experiencing them. In the future, greater effort should focus on developing a theoretical account of spontaneous future cognition-this may increase our understanding of how and why spontaneous future thoughts occur. If future research in this area reflects the diversity and depth within this Special Issue, a flourishing of research on spontaneous future cognition will be on the horizon in years or perhaps decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Cole
- Psychology, School of Psychological and Social Sciences, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, UK.
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40
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Barzykowski K, Niedźwieńska A, Mazzoni G. How intention to retrieve a memory and expectation that a memory will come to mind influence the retrieval of autobiographical memories. Conscious Cogn 2019; 72:31-48. [PMID: 31078046 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
While involuntary memories are retrieved with no intention and are usually unexpected (when one is not waiting for a memory to arise), voluntary memories are intended and expected (when one is searching and waiting for a memory to arise). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of retrieval intentionality (i.e. wanting to retrieve a memory) and monitoring processes (i.e. waiting for a memory to appear) during autobiographical memory retrieval. In addition, we introduced two novel laboratory conditions that have not been used in previous research on voluntary memories: in the first, participants were asked to report anything they could think of in response to each cue word; in the second, they could skip a word if nothing came to mind. These novel manipulations allowed us to differentiate between voluntary memories retrieved in response to experimenter-generated cues (when participants were forced to provide a memory or a thought for each cue) and self-selected cues (when participants were free to not answer a cue if they found it too difficult). We found that highly accessible memories were mostly experienced when retrieval was involuntary and unexpected, while memories with low accessibility were accessed through intentional retrieval and monitoring processes. Response times for memories recalled in the experimenter-generated cue conditions were longer compared to the self-selected cue conditions. This novel finding shows that experimenter-generated recall favours memories with low accessibility; it further supports the idea that, in a substantial number of trials, voluntary memories are directly rather than effortfully retrieved. The idea that the driving force behind differences between involuntary and voluntary memories is not the intention per se is further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Niedźwieńska
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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Robin J, Garzon L, Moscovitch M. Spontaneous memory retrieval varies based on familiarity with a spatial context. Cognition 2019; 190:81-92. [PMID: 31034970 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Spatial context can serve as a powerful cue for episodic memory. In daily life, we encounter locations varying in familiarity that may trigger different forms of memory retrieval. While previous research on autobiographical memory suggests that more familiar landmarks cue more detailed memories, theories such as cue overload predict that less familiar cues will more reliably trigger specific memory retrieval. It is therefore possible that more and less familiar cues will differentially elicit more generalized and specific memories, respectively. In this series of studies, we develop a novel paradigm for eliciting spontaneous memory retrieval based on real-world spatial contexts varying in familiarity. We found evidence that more familiar contexts generally lead to higher rates of spontaneous memory retrieval for semantic and generalized memories, but that episodic memories are more frequently retrieved for less familiar cues. These patterns demonstrate how related memories lead to the formation of more generalized representations over time, while memories with fewer associates remain episodic. We discuss these findings in relation to those obtained in a version of the study in which participants were instructed to retrieve thoughts. Together these findings provide novel insight into the dynamics of context familiarity and memory retrieval in a naturalistic autobiographical memory paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Robin
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, 3560 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada.
| | - Luisa Garzon
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Morris Moscovitch
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, 3560 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada; Department of Psychology, Baycrest Health Sciences, 3560 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada
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42
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Jordão M, Pinho MS, St Jacques PL. Inducing spontaneous future thoughts in younger and older adults by priming future-oriented personal goals. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2019; 83:710-726. [PMID: 30671615 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-019-01146-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In the past 15 years, the study of spontaneous thoughts (i.e., thoughts coming to mind without intention and effort) has received increased attention. Spontaneous future thoughts (SFTs) are particularly important (e.g., in planning), yet difficult to study with regard to age differences. Two main problems arise: (1) lab tasks including word-cues induce more past than future thoughts; (2) younger adults report more spontaneous thoughts than older adults. To improve the elicitation of SFTs, we developed a future-oriented goal-related priming procedure and analyzed the extension of the goal-related priming effect in SFTs to older adults, to examine whether age-related changes in personal goals compromise the elicitation of SFTs. We also controlled for methodological factors that could influence age groups differently (including demand, retrospection, meta-awareness and instruction bias). Twenty-seven younger and 27 older adults performed a low-demand vigilance task including word-cues and were periodically stopped to describe their thoughts. The vigilance task was divided into two parts and, between them, participants performed a future-oriented goal-related priming task. An additional group of 27 younger participants performed the same procedure with a control task based on word counting. We found a significant increase in SFTs after priming in both age groups, but not in the control group, indicating that the priming manipulation was effective. This result suggests that age-related changes in personal goals do not disrupt the relation between personal goals and SFT frequency. The similar pattern of overall spontaneous thought in both age groups is also discussed considering methodological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Jordão
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, 3000-115, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Maria Salomé Pinho
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, 3000-115, Coimbra, Portugal
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43
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Semantic memories prime autobiographical memories: General implications and implications for everyday autobiographical remembering. Mem Cognit 2018; 47:299-312. [DOI: 10.3758/s13421-018-0866-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Faber M, D'Mello SK. How the stimulus influences mind wandering in semantically rich task contexts. COGNITIVE RESEARCH-PRINCIPLES AND IMPLICATIONS 2018; 3:35. [PMID: 30298234 PMCID: PMC6156695 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-018-0129-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
What do we think about when we mind wander and where do these thoughts come from? We tested the idea that semantically rich stimuli yield patterns of mind wandering that are closely coupled with the stimuli compared to being more internally triggered. We analyzed the content of 949 self-reported zone outs (1218 thoughts) and 519 of their triggers from 88 participants who read an instructional text and watched a film for 20 min each. We found that mind wandering associated with memory retrieval was more frequent than prospection and introspection across both stimuli. Over 70% of autobiographical and semantic memory retrievals were triggered by the content of the stimuli, compared to around 30% for prospective and introspective thoughts. Further, latent semantic analysis revealed that semantic and unspecific memories were more "semantically" similar to their triggers than prospective and introspective thoughts, suggesting that they arise from spontaneous associations with the stimulus. These findings suggest a re-evaluation of how internal concerns and the external world give rise to mind wandering and emphasize the importance of studying mind wandering in semantically rich contexts akin to much of the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe Faber
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. .,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Sidney K D'Mello
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.,Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.,Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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45
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The effects of collective and personal transitions on the organization and contents of autobiographical memory in older Chinese adults. Mem Cognit 2018; 45:1335-1349. [PMID: 28710601 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-017-0733-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Life transitions like war, marriage, and immigration presumably organize autobiographical memory. Yet little is known about how the magnitude of a given transition affects this mnemonic impact. To examine this issue, we collected (a) word-cued events, (b) event-dating protocols, (c) personally important events, and (d) transitional impact scores of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and important events from Chinese adults who had been adolescents during the revolution. There were three main findings. First, rusticated participants, who moved from cities to rural areas during the Cultural Revolution, dated autobiographical memories in relation to this collective transition more frequently than nonrusticated participants, with the former group reporting a greater material (but not psychological) change in their lives due to this collective transition than the latter group. Second, material change predicted the degree to which the self-nominated important events served as temporal landmarks in event dating. Third, we observed that the events that people typically considered important and those that typically served as temporal landmarks changed as a function of age but displayed the similar temporal distributions. We conclude by considering the theoretical implications of these findings.
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Hitchcock C, Golden AMJ, Werner-Seidler A, Kuyken W, Dalgleish T. The Impact of Affective Context on Autobiographical Recollection in Depression. Clin Psychol Sci 2018; 6:315-324. [PMID: 29805916 PMCID: PMC5952300 DOI: 10.1177/2167702617740672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Across two studies we investigated the influence of contextual cues on
autobiographical memory recall. In Study 1, participants (N =
37) with major depressive disorder, in episode or in varying degrees of
remission, were administered a Negative Autobiographical Memory Task (NAMT) that
required them to retrieve negatively valenced memories in
response to positive cue words (a positive context). We
reasoned that increased depression symptom severity would be associated with a
reduced ability to override priming from this disadvantageous context.
Consequently, we hypothesized that increased depressive severity would
counterintuitively be associated with reduced negativity
ratings for retrieved personal memories to positive cues on the NAMT. This
hypothesis was supported. Study 2, using a community sample (N
= 63), demonstrated that a similar reduction in memory negativity was observed
in individuals with lower working memory capacity—an index of executive control.
Implications for autobiographical memory and executive training paradigms for
depression are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Hitchcock
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge University.,Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cambridge, England
| | - Ann-Marie J Golden
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge University
| | | | | | - Tim Dalgleish
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge University.,Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cambridge, England
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Involuntary autobiographical memories are relatively more often reported during high cognitive load tasks. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2018; 182:119-128. [PMID: 29169060 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2017.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies on involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) in daily life have shown that they are most frequently reported during daily routines (e.g. while ironing). Such studies have suggested that reporting IAMs may be influenced by the level of the ongoing task demands and availability of cognitive resources. In two studies, we investigated the effects of cognitive load on reporting IAMs. To examine the presumed cognitive load dependency of IAMs, we utilised an often-employed experimental paradigm (Schlagman & Kvavilashvili, 2008) to elicit IAMs under conditions that differed in cognitive load. When performing a vigilance task, participants had to interrupt the task each time they experienced any spontaneous mental contents and write them down. We manipulated the level of cognitive load by either instructing (cognitive load group) or not instructing (control group) participants to perform an additional demanding task. We compared the groups on the number of IAMs and other mental contents (non-IAM contents) recorded, as well as on the frequency of IAMs that was calculated as a proportion of IAMs in all mental contents reported by the participant. We expected that if reporting IAMs depends on the level of cognitive demands, then we should observe lower frequency of IAMs in the cognitive load group compared to the control group. Consistently across studies, we observed a lower number of IAMs and non-IAM contents in the cognitive load group. However, IAMs unexpectedly constituted a higher percentage of all mental contents when participants were cognitively loaded. Further implications of the cognitive load effects for IAMs research and experimental methodology are discussed.
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John H. Mace, Austin J. Hall. Demonstrating Conceptual Clustering in Autobiographical Memory with Voluntary Recall Tasks: More Evidence for the Conceptual Organization View. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.5406/amerjpsyc.131.3.0283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Abstract
Involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) are recollections of personal past that frequently and spontaneously occur in daily life. Initial studies by Mace (2005) showed that deliberately reminiscing about a certain lifetime period (e.g., high school) significantly increased the number of different IAMs from the same period in subsequent days, suggesting that priming may play a significant role in the retrieval of IAMs in everyday life. In the present study, we used a modified experimental paradigm, originally used by Schlagman and Kvavilashvili (2008), to study IAMs under well-controlled laboratory conditions. Participants completed a monotonous vigilance task twice and reported the occurrence of any spontaneous thoughts that were later classed as IAMs or other thoughts. Priming was manipulated by having experimental participants reminiscing about high school period between the two vigilance tasks and control participants playing simple games. Results showed that participants in the experimental group reported IAMs relating to high school period more frequently during the second vigilance task than those in the control group. In the experimental group, the number of high school memories was marginally higher in the second vigilance task compared to the first vigilance task with the medium effect size, but this within subjects effect was not significant in the control group. Finally, priming also enhanced the retrieval of more remote IAMs in the experimental group compared to the control group. These results suggest that priming may play a significant role in the activation and recall of IAMs and open up interesting avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystian Barzykowski
- a Applied Memory Research Laboratory , Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University , Kraków , Poland
| | - Agnieszka Niedźwieńska
- a Applied Memory Research Laboratory , Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University , Kraków , Poland
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50
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Manipulating cues in mind wandering: Verbal cues affect the frequency and the temporal focus of mind wandering. Conscious Cogn 2017. [PMID: 28645000 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of mind wandering (MW) has dramatically increased over the past decade. A key challenge still facing research is the identification of the processes and events that directly cause and control its occurrence. In the present study we sought to shed light on this question, by investigating the effects of verbal cues on the frequency and temporal focus of MW. To this aim, we experimentally manipulated the presence of irrelevant verbal cues during a vigilance task, in two independent groups (Verbal-cues group vs. No-cues group). We found that compared to the No-cues group, the Verbal-cues group reported a higher amount of MW, mostly triggered by the irrelevant cue-words, and a higher proportion of past-oriented MW compared to the other temporal orientations. These results demonstrate that task-irrelevant verbal stimulation increases the frequency of MW and steers its temporal orientation toward the past. Implications for the research on MW are discussed.
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