Memorable meals: The memory-experience gap in day-to-day experiences

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Retrospective memory often exaggerates past experiences compared to the actual event.
• Previous research focused on distinct events, leaving recall of recurring daily experiences less understood.
• The snapshot model suggests memory is based on peak and final moments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the memory-experience gap in the context of recurring daily eating experiences.
• To examine the influence of peak (best/worst) and final eating experiences on memory.
• To assess recall accuracy immediately and after a delay.

Main Methods:

• Smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) over eight days.
• 103 participants recorded food intake and eating happiness.
• Recalled eating happiness assessed at immediate and delayed recall (four weeks).

Main Results:

• A significant memory-experience gap was found at immediate recall.
• Remembered eating happiness was primarily predicted by the worst eating experience, not the best or final.
• The influence of the worst experience persisted at delayed recall.

Conclusions:

• In the eating domain, retrospective memory is predominantly shaped by negative experiences.
• The snapshot model effectively explains recall of both unique and routine experiences.
• Negative eating experiences have a lasting impact on memory, creating a gap with actual experiences.