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Updated: May 26, 2026
11:30
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection
Published on: August 26, 2011
Context-dependent activation of reduced autobiographical memory specificity as an avoidant coping style
Elise Debeer1, Filip Raes1, J Mark G Williams2
1Department of Psychology, University of Leuven.
Emotion (Washington, D.C.)
|December 7, 2011
Summary
Reduced autobiographical memory specificity (rAMS), or overgeneral memory (OGM), is linked to avoidant coping, but only under threat conditions. This suggests OGM activation depends on contextual cues signaling danger.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- The affect-regulation hypothesis posits reduced autobiographical memory specificity (rAMS) as a cognitive avoidance strategy.
- Previous studies show mixed results on the association between rAMS and avoidant coping.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the conditions under which rAMS reflects an avoidant coping strategy.
- To test if threat cues amplify the link between rAMS and avoidant coping.
Main Methods:
- Assessed rAMS and behavioral avoidance in participants.
- Experimentally manipulated instructions to create neutral and threat conditions using the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT).
Main Results:
- No significant correlation between avoidance and OGM in neutral conditions.
- Significant correlations between avoidance and OGM emerged under threat conditions.
- High avoiders showed reduced rAMS under threat, unlike low avoiders.
Conclusions:
- OGM is part of a broader avoidant coping style.
- The activation of OGM as a coping style is context-dependent, particularly in nonclinical individuals.
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