Further characterisation of self-defining memories in young adults: a study of a Swiss sample.

[en] Several individual differences affecting four dimensions of self-defining memories (SDMs)--structure, content, affect, and autobiographical reasoning (Blagov & Singer, 2004; McLean & Fournier, 2008; Singer & Salovey, 1993)--have been observed in young adults (principally in North America). In this study we aimed to investigate the relationships between the different dimensions of SDMs, providing further evidence of the content validity of the Self-Defining Memory task. It was possible to discern two specific profiles from the three SDMs collected from each participant. Almost half the participants retrieved specific SDMs with little autobiographical reasoning and tension; the other participants retrieved an opposite profile, suggesting that there are individual differences in the cognitive and affective processes related to the construction of SDMs. The second aim of the study was to conduct across-cultural extension of research on SDMs, using a sample of Swiss young adults. The results were similar to those obtained by previous studies, suggesting a certain cultural invariability. The only difference observed concerned the number of SDMs containing meaning making. Swiss young adults attribute more explicit meanings to their memories than North American young adults, suggesting that they are more engaged in autobiographical reasoning.

Disciplines :

Theoretical & cognitive psychology

Author, co-author :

Lardi, Claudia

D'Argembeau, Arnaud ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cognitives > Psychopathologie cognitive

Chanal, Julien

Ghisletta, Paolo

Van der Linden, Martial ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cognitives > Psychopathologie cognitive

Language :

English

Title :

Further characterisation of self-defining memories in young adults: a study of a Swiss sample.

Publication date :

2010

Journal title :

Memory

ISSN :

0965-8211

eISSN :

1464-0686

Publisher :

Taylor & Francis Ltd, Basingstoke, United Kingdom

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

293-309

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 11 May 2010

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