Feeling good and bad about the past and future self

Abstract

Prior research has shown that memories of feeling good about the self often focus on achievement themes, whereas memories of feeling bad about the self often focus on interpersonal themes. This study examined whether a similar relationship would be evident for imagined future events. Young adults in the United States and Denmark provided memories and imagined future events that are associated with positive or negative self-regard. Across cultures, achievement themes were prominently represented in memories of positive self-regard and interpersonal themes were prominently represented in memories of negative self-regard. In contrast, relationships between the emotional valence and thematic content of imagined future events were weak and inconsistent. Our results raise new questions for the theory that imagined future episodes are constructed primarily from recombinations of past episodes.

The Future of Memory: Remembering, Imagining, and the Brain

“…It will be important for this neurally-focused work to take account of behavioral studies that are beginning to tease apart the corresponding cognitive components of memory and simulation, some of which we have already discussed in this review (for recent examples, see Anderson, 2012; Anderson et al, 2012; Arnold et al, 2011a; D’Argembeau & Mathy, 2011; de Vito et al, 2012a; Pillemer et al, in press; Szpunar & McDermott, 2008). …”

Equivalence tests for comparing correlation and regression coefficients

“…Researchers are often interested in comparing population correlation (ρs) or regression coefficients (βs), and in many cases the interest is in demonstrating that the coefficients are equivalent. For example, Pillemer, Thomsen, Kuwabara, and Ivcevic () examined memories about the self and whether these memories focused on achievement or interpersonal themes in participants from Denmark and the United States. One of their hypotheses was that ‘relationships between emotional valence and thematic content should be consistent across cultures’ (Pillemer et al ., , p. 213).…”

“…For example, Pillemer, Thomsen, Kuwabara, and Ivcevic () examined memories about the self and whether these memories focused on achievement or interpersonal themes in participants from Denmark and the United States. One of their hypotheses was that ‘relationships between emotional valence and thematic content should be consistent across cultures’ (Pillemer et al ., , p. 213). Clogg, Petkova, and Haritou () describe comparing regression coefficients as the most common method in social science research for comparing two explanations of a particular predictor variable.…”

Writing to your past-self can make you feel better

“…This is in agreement with a previous report showing that recalling positive memories with a social component could be particularly powerful in reducing the cortisol response following the same stressor task ( Speer and Delgado, 2020 ) and a meta review about long-term care residents which concluded that good social connection is linked to better mental health outcomes ( Bethell et al, 2021 ). On the other hand, some previous studies showed that achievement themes were prominently represented in memories of positive self-regard and interpersonal themes were prominently represented in memories of negative self-regard ( Pillemer et al, 2007 , 2013 ). Considering those findings, it is reasonable that remembering interpersonal problems might be more depressing than anything else, whereas thinking about your achievements with lots of support from your surroundings might be more comforting than anything else.…”