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2.1 Problem 3 Summary
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2.1 Problem 3Problem A
Autobiographical Memory
Insert graph
Autobiographical retention function- number of memories recalled from each period
of life
Patterns are indicative of 3 basic phenomenon
1. Childhood Amnesia- Very few memories from early year of life, none before the
age of around 3
2. Reminiscence bump- disproportionately great number of memories from ages
10 to 30
3. Standard forgetting curve for info that occurs in last 20 yrs, info recalled by older
adults is for events that have happened recently
1. Childhood Amnesia
Drop in number of memories reported before age of 10 and complete lack of any
memories before age ⅔
Autobiographical memory emerges as childhood amnesia lifted
X- no way to check on accuracy of what is reported
Research strategy- asking participants about salient events from childhood that can be
corroborated, utilising targeted event recall technique
Usher and Neisser
Method: Participants asked to recall critical events from childhood that were
documented and could be checked with relatives/records
Asked how frequently and recently they’d rehearsed event, and whether had been
exposed to pictures of it
Memory tested with set of questions asking basic info about each event
Results: Relatively poor memory before the age 5
Offset of childhood amnesia occurred at different times dependent on particular
event
Memories for birth of sibling and hospitals went further back than memories for
death or family move
> perhaps as hospitalisation is distinctive, involving, and frightening event: birth
receives much rehearsal
Effect of rehearsal dependent on age at time of experience
<3 years old at time of event, family stories, photographs led to fewer memories
than if ⅘ years- memories here were stronger
2-3 year old memory relatively fragile, and memories easily confused with stories
and photographs- more things present, more obscured actual memory becomes
o 4-5 year old memory, less tenuous: rehearsals beneficial
Emergence of Autobiographical Memory
Brain Development
Possible source of childhood amnesia:
immaturity of developing infant brain
Complex processing leading to autobiographical memories not fully
developed, so early memories not formed
Hippocampal areas of forebrain underdeveloped= critical for formation of
new long-term memories
Individuals with damage to hippocampus show dissociation in
memory abilities, unable to store events recently experienced, yet
can learn and retain perceptual and cognitive skills
Memory not one thing but several different subsystems
Infants could have dissociation: early developing procedural system allowing to
carry out simple memory tasks, and later-developing declarative system
providing base for complex memories
, would explain childhood amnesia only for events occur in very early life:
neurological underdevelopment can’t explain childhood amnesia for events
that occur late in toddlerhood
Children can remember things that happen when they were younger- don’t
show childhood amnesia as a child
Development of Language
Child’s developing language skills critical factor in emergence of autobiographical
memory
Pillemer and White- children begin to remember events from lives as soon as they are
capable of describing events with language
Make biggest linguistic improvements between 2 and 4- this when start
developing autobiographical memory
Studies show importance of language in ABM, with differences in narrative style
Narrative style- the way that families reminisce about, or narrate, past events
When conversing with daughters use elaborative style- long and richly
detailed discussions of past events
When conversing with sons, use pragmatic style- succinct and contains
less detail and elaboration
Style of reminiscing influences quality of childhood memories: elaborative parents, more
elaborated memories
Davis- female superiority in autobiographical recall
Parents play active role in guiding and shaping child’s view of what happened
Events are discussed and recounted- child builds generic event memory for
repeated events and autographical memory system for unique events
Development of a Cognitive Self
Howe and Courage- though language is critical to express experiences, it’s not the same
thing as the stored experiences
Just because child is lacking linguistic skills to tell memory, doesn’t mean
memory doesn’t exist
- Determining factor is child’s development of sense of self- knowledge that one is
a person with unique and recognisable characteristics and one thinks and knows
things about the world and can serve as a causal agent
- Becomes organiser of autobiographical experience
- Language is mechanism where autobiographical memories are let out, not the
basis of their development
Wang- important of cross-cultural differences and content of early childhood memories
Method: recall of early childhood events in Taiwanese and US adults (Western cultures=
independent, autonomous self, distinguishment from others; Eastern cultures=
interconnectedness and group identity, self-defined by relationships and connections)
used words self, mother, family, friend, and surrounding as cues, asked
participants to relay earliest memory associated with each cue
Dependent variables= age at time of remembered event, degree to which
memory reflects autonomy
Hypothesis: emphasis on self in Western culture, should have earlier memories and early
memories should vary as a cultural function
Results: US had earlier childhood memories reflecting personal autonomy more
Significance: demonstrates relative importance of relationships and personal autonomy
varying between cultures
Jack, MacDonald, Reese, Hayne- how maternal reminiscing behaviours are reflected in
childhood memory
Method: 2 years, mothers asked to record natural convos on 6 different events
Researchers recorded maternal elaborations and maternal repetitions
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