Emotional closure in involuntary autobiographical memories: evidence from a laboratory paradigm

The present study investigates how the emotional closure status of autobiographical memories (open vs. closed) influences the frequency and phenomenology of involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs), and how these processes are further shaped by individual differences in the need for emotional closure. Participants (N = 226) completed a laboratory-based vigilance task designed to capture spontaneous thoughts, including IAMs, with probe questions assessing their occurrence and characteristics. Each reported memory was classified by participants as open or closed, and participants additionally completed the Need for Emotional Closure Scale (NECS). Results showed that closed memories were reported more frequently than open memories during spontaneous retrieval. In terms of phenomenology, open IAMs were rated as more emotionally intense and more important than closed IAMs, while no differences emerged in their valence. Notably, NECS interacted with closure status for valence, showing that individuals with higher emotional closure needs evaluated open IAMs more negatively than closed IAMs. We discuss the findings with a focus on the role of emotional closure in shaping spontaneous remembering, as well as the motivational and cognitive factors underlying the recurrence of autobiographical memories.