Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Autobiographical Memory

Autobiographical Memory

Autobiographical memory is a unique type of episodic memory that involves recollecting personal life experiences. It allows individuals to remember significant events from their past, creating a narrative of their lives. One interesting phenomenon related to autobiographical memory is the reminiscence bump. This effect refers to the tendency of adults to recall more events from their second and third decades of life — typically between ages 10 to 30 — than from other periods. This period is...

Understanding Self-Concept

Understanding Self-Concept

The self-concept encompasses individuals' beliefs about themselves, structured through cognitive frameworks known as self-schemas. These schemas function as mental representations of specific traits or behaviors, influencing how self-relevant information is perceived, processed, and remembered. For example, individuals who are schematic for body weight are more likely to interpret routine experiences—such as dining out or shopping—through the lens of that trait. Conversely, those aschematic for...

Self-Schemas

Self-Schemas

In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...

Explicit Memories

Explicit Memories

Explicit memories, also known as declarative memories, are consciously remembered, recalled, and reported. Studying for a chemistry exam involves material that will become part of explicit memory. There are two types of explicit memory: episodic and semantic.
Episodic memory contains information about personally experienced events and is reported as a story. An example of episodic memory is recalling a birthday celebration. This type of memory includes the what, where, and when of an event, as...

Aging

Aging

Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Autobiographical reasoning following the November 2015 Paris attacks: To the roots of meaning-making.

Journal of anxiety disorders·2026

Same author

Socially shared emotions shape the activity of the medial prefrontal cortex during inference of others' emotional states.

Cell reports·2026

Same author

Longitudinal evaluation of hippocampal subfields volumes and episodic memory in breast cancer patients and healthy controls.

Brain imaging and behavior·2026

Same author

Sensitivity analysis enlightens effects of connectivity in a Neural Mass Model under Control-Target mode.

PLoS computational biology·2026

Same author

The role of reactivations during consolidation in the structure and accessibility of episodic autobiographical memories.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Self-Perceptions of Aging in Older Adults: A Network Analysis of Clinical and Non-Clinical Samples.

Brain sciences·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Published on: August 26, 2011

[Multidimensional Self, autobiographical memory and aging].

Céline Duval¹, Francis Eustache, Pascale Piolino

¹Inserm-EPHE-Université de Caen-Basse Normandie, Unité E0218, Laboratoire de Neuropsychologie, CHU Côte de Nacre, Caen, France.

Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement

|September 18, 2007

Summary

Aging impacts the Self, particularly its functional aspects like self-consciousness, more than its structural components such as self-knowledge. This review explores the self-concept and its relation to autobiographical memory across the lifespan.

More Related Videos

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Published on: February 14, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Published on: August 26, 2011

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Published on: February 14, 2014

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Developmental Psychology

Background:

The Self-concept is a central topic in psychology, viewed as a cognitive system comprising personal representations.
It underlies subjective identity and continuity over time, linking consciousness, self-knowledge, and self-consciousness.
Autobiographical memory plays a crucial role in maintaining a coherent sense of Self.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce the concept of Self, emphasizing its connection to autobiographical memory.
To review research on how aging affects the Self, differentiating between structural (self-knowledge) and functional (self-consciousness) dimensions.

Main Methods:

Literature review synthesizing existing research findings.
Analysis of studies examining the impact of aging on Self-concept dimensions.

Main Results:

Aging differentially affects the Self; functional dimensions are more significantly impacted than structural ones.
Self-consciousness appears more vulnerable to age-related changes compared to self-knowledge.

Conclusions:

The aging process selectively impacts the Self, with functional aspects showing greater decline.
Understanding these changes is crucial for cognitive and psychological well-being in later life.