Autobiographical memory and sense of self

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• A lack of coherent models hinders understanding of the autobiographical memory and sense of self link.
• Fragmented research across disciplines uses varied terminology and methods.
• Existing theories are complex and not easily testable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel, testable framework for sense of self and autobiographical memory.
• To bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and empirical research.
• To provide a roadmap for future investigations in this area.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework development based on existing theoretical work.
• Delineation of sense of self along subjective/objective and present/temporally extended dimensions.
• Review of existing evidence supporting the proposed model.

Main Results:

• A 4-component model of sense of self is presented.
• Subjective self is a prerequisite for episodic memory and phenomenological continuity.
• Autobiographical memory (especially semantic) supports objective self-representation across time.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model offers a clear, accessible framework for studying self and memory.
• It integrates diverse theoretical perspectives into a cohesive structure.
• The model facilitates future empirical research and clarifies the relationship between memory and self.