A snapshot of autobiographical memory retrieval characteristics

• Published in: Applied cognitive psychology Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 61 - 74
• Main Authors: Burt, Christopher D. B., Mitchell, David A., Raggatt, Peter T. F., Jones, Carol A., Cowan, Terrina M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: West Sussex John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.02.1995; Wiley
• Subjects: Autobiographical memory; Autobiographical recall; Biological and medical sciences; Characteristics; Context effect; Cues; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Learning. Memory; Memory; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Recall (Psychology); Undergraduate students; Context; Human; Memory retrieval; Cognition; Autobiographical memory
• ISSN: 0888-4080; 1099-0720
• DOI: 10.1002/acp.2350090105

This study attempts to replicate and extend the results of Burt (1992a), using more ecologically valid memory cues. Twenty seven undergraduate students produced approximately 4900 autobiographical photographs, which were categorised as to the nature of the cues (event information) they contained (eg. activity, location, participant). A sample of the subject's autobiographical photographs, and a set of other individuals autobiographical photographs (autobiographical foils), were presented to each subject via a tachistoscope. The subjects were asked to indicate when they had retrieved the 'circumstances and associated context' surrounding the scene depicted in each photograph or had decided the latter was not possible. Differences in memory retrieval times were found between the foils and autobiographical photographs and across the cue categories. The results suggest that autobiographical event memory structures are formed around the most unique event attribute. Rehearsal of an event and occurrence of an experience within an extended event (eg. a holiday) were also found to predict memory retrieval time.