Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2025
11:30
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection
Published on: August 26, 2011
9.9K
A cross-sectional study using self-defining memories to explore personal identity throughout adulthood
Alain Fritsch1, Virginie Voltzenlogel1, Christine Cuervo-Lombard1
1Psychology Department, University of Toulouse 2 Jean-Jaures.
Developmental Psychology
|December 14, 2023
Summary
Personal identity evolves throughout adulthood, with self-defining memories (SDMs) becoming less specific and integrated as people age. Young adults exhibit more tension and contamination in their SDMs, while redemptive memories remain consistent across age groups.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Personal identity development is a key aspect of adult life.
- Limited research exists on how identity, specifically through self-defining memories (SDMs), changes across the adult lifespan.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for comprehending lifelong identity adjustments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in the dimensions of self-defining memories (SDMs) across different adult age groups.
- To examine thematic content, specificity, integrative meaning, tension, contamination/redemption, and emotion in SDMs.
- To explore the interactions between these SDM dimensions and their relation to age.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 652 healthy French adults aged 18–97 years.
- Participants were divided into four age groups: young adults, middle-aged adults, young-old adults, and old-old adults.
- Participants recollected three self-defining memories (SDMs) for analysis.
Main Results:
- Thematic content of SDMs was similar across adulthood, with relationship narratives more frequent in younger groups.
- Specificity and integrative meaning of SDMs decreased with age.
- Tension and contaminative sequences were most frequent in young adults; redemptive memories and positivity effects did not significantly differ by age.
Conclusions:
- Self-defining memories (SDMs) evolve throughout adulthood, reflecting ongoing identity adjustments.
- Age-related changes in SDM dimensions, such as decreased specificity and integration, highlight developmental shifts.
- The study provides novel insights into the dynamic nature of personal identity across the adult lifespan.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Autobiographical Memory
5.4K
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...
5.4K
01:19Self-Concept
29
Self-concept is the cognitive and emotional understanding individuals hold about their identity. It evolves through various developmental stages, beginning in infancy and maturing as children grow. This concept influences how individuals perceive their abilities, interact with others, and manage challenges throughout life.
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
29
01:17Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
116
Erik Erikson's fifth stage of psychosocial development, "identity versus role confusion," is crucial during adolescence (ages 12 to 18). In this stage, adolescents face the developmental task of forging a distinct personal identity, a process influenced by social, psychological, and biological changes typical of this period. Adolescents naturally explore different roles, behaviors, and ideologies as they navigate complex questions of self-concept, asking, "Who am I?" and...
116
01:26Marcia's Theory of Identity Status
129
James Marcia's identity status model provides a framework for understanding how adolescents navigate identity formation through varying degrees of exploration and commitment. Marcia's model builds on Erik Erikson's theories of psychosocial development, focusing specifically on how adolescents reconcile individual aspirations with societal expectations. His model describes identity formation as a dynamic process where adolescents move between different states depending on their level...
129
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
58
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
58
01:27Emerging Adulthood
64
Jeffrey Arnett's concept of emerging adulthood offers a framework to understand the unique developmental stage between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, generally from ages 18 to 25. This period is marked by extensive exploration and shifts in identity, relationships, and career choices, a process known in psychology as role experimentation. Emerging adulthood reflects the evolving cultural expectations surrounding adulthood and the dynamic process of personal transformation during...
64