Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2025
11:30
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection
Published on: August 26, 2011
10.0K
Reconciling a phenomenological with a functional approach to memory: narrative coherence and its social function
Lauranne Vanaken1, Theodore E A Waters2, Yannick Boddez1,3
1Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Memory (Hove, England)
|December 13, 2021
Summary
This study integrates the subjective experience (phenomenology) and adaptive purpose (functionality) of autobiographical memory. Understanding their interplay enhances knowledge of memory
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Memory Studies
Background:
- Autobiographical memory research has largely treated phenomenological and functional aspects separately.
- The interaction between how memories feel and their adaptive utility is crucial for understanding psychological well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the integration of phenomenological and functional aspects of autobiographical memory.
- To propose future research directions for understanding memory's adaptivity and its relation to well-being.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on autobiographical memory phenomenology and functionality.
- Formulation of future research directions based on current understanding.
- Illustration using the social function of coherent autobiographical memories.
Main Results:
- Identified limitations in current approaches to autobiographical memory research.
- Proposed three key directions for future research: focus on adaptivity, acknowledge bidirectionality, and incorporate narrative constructs.
- Highlighted the social function of coherent memories as an example for reintegration.
Conclusions:
- Reintegrating phenomenological and functional perspectives is essential for a comprehensive understanding of autobiographical memory.
- This integrated framework can guide empirical studies and inform clinical interventions for psychological well-being.
More Related Videos
07:56Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
10.2K
05:15The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
Published on: February 19, 2018
11.0K
Related Concept Videos
01:14Autobiographical Memory
6.0K
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...
6.0K
01:19Understanding Memory
684
Memory is the retention of information or experiences over time, facilitated through three main processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of inputting information into the memory system. For instance, when listening to a lecture, watching a play, reading a book, or having a conversation, the brain is actively encoding information. This initial stage involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored by the brain. Various factors, such as...
684
01:22Eyewitness Memory
198
Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function...
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function...
198
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
645
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
645
01:27Explicit Memories
217
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...
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...
217
01:20Traumatic Memory
293
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
293