Characteristics of positive and negative autobiographical memories central to identity: emotionality, vividness, rehearsal, rumination, and reflection

Abstract

IntroductionSome events are remembered as more central to a person’s identity than others. However, it is not entirely clear what characterizes these autobiographical memories central to one’s identity. In this study, we examined the effects of various characteristics on centrality to identity of positive and negative memories. Characteristics such as emotionality, vividness, and how frequently a memory is retrieved and shared with others as well as ruminative and reflective self-foci were studied.MethodsThe sample included 356 participants (18–92 years of age). First, participants responded to demographic questions and individual difference questionnaires. Next, they recalled memories in response to 12 emotional cue words. The cue words were balanced for emotional valence (i.e., six positive and six negative) and presented in a random order. After retrieving all memories, participants rated them regarding centrality, using the short seven-item Centrality of Event Scale and other memory characteristics, on a seven-point Likert scale. Multivariate multilevel regression was used for data analyzes, to consider multiple characteristics at the same time and account for data dependency within individual.ResultsThe results showed that emotionality, vividness, and frequency of memory retrieval contributed to higher centrality of memories, and employing a reflective self-focus resulted in rating memories as more central. In specific cases, these characteristics were associated differently with centrality of positive and negative memories.DiscussionCentral memories can be perceived as markers in a person’s life story. The findings of this study suggest that these marker events are also highly available in a person’s memory system, by being actively emotional, visually rich, and frequently retrieved. Moreover, not only memory characteristics but also individual’s features are important to fully understand the autobiographical memory centrality.

A multilevel factor analysis of the short form of the Centrality of Event Scale

“…However, not all personally experienced events become part of a person's life story; and even those that do, may vary in terms of their self-relevance. For instance, people typically consider their most positive autobiographical memory as more central to their identity than their most negative one (e.g., Zaragoza Scherman et al, 2020;Pociūnaitė and Zimprich, 2023). The centrality of an event may not only vary as a function of valence (i.e., positive vs. negative memories), but also within valence categories in the sense that some positive (or negative) memories contribute strongly to a person's identity and life story, whereas other positive (or negative) events are perceived as less self-relevant.…”

“…Similarly, the "fading affect bias" (Walker et al, 1997) suggests that the affect intensity of negative events decreases more quickly across time than the affect intensity of positive events (see Hoehne, 2023). The assumption thus is that individuals tend to assign stronger centrality ratings to emotionally positive events compared to emotionally negative events (Pociūnaitė and Zimprich, 2023).…”