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The identity function of autobiographical memory: time is on our side
1Psychology Department, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada.
Memory (Hove, England)
|June 25, 2003
Summary
Autobiographical memory and personal identity are closely linked, with past recollections shaping current self-views and vice versa. This dynamic interaction helps create a coherent and positive sense of self over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Autobiographical memory is crucial for constructing personal identity.
- A bi-directional relationship exists between memory and identity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on the interplay between autobiographical memory and identity.
- To explore how self-views influence memory recall and appraisal.
- To examine how memory impacts current self-perceptions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research.
- Analysis of the influence of current beliefs and goals on memory.
- Examination of how memory reconstructions affect present self-views.
Main Results:
- Current self-views, beliefs, and goals shape recollections of past selves.
- Recalled past experiences and earlier selves influence current self-views.
- Memory evaluations, perceived distance, and viewpoint affect the past's influence on the present.
Conclusions:
- The construction of self across time serves to create a coherent and favorable view of the present self.
- Memory and identity dynamically co-construct each other.
- Reinterpretations of past memories contribute to present self-concept maintenance.