Early childhood memories: accuracy and affect

Subjects were asked to report the earliest memories of their lives. Where possible, the memory protocols were submitted to adults present at the time of the original episode for possible confirmation. The majority of memories were characterized by distinct emotion, with a higher count of negative than of positive emotion. The majority of memories proved accurate, with confirmation operating at as high a level in the case of positive or emotionally neutral memories as of negative memories. General memory content showed no differential patterns across negative and positive memories. Thus claims that infantile memories are powered uniquely by trauma, and/or routinely include distortions, were not supported. Evidence was found that some memories recalled as emotionally bland by the subject had involved an originally emotional episode.