The earliest memory in individuals raised in either traditional and reformed kibbutz or outside the kibbutz

Abstract

In two studies we compared the age of traditional kibbutz members' first memories with the first memories of people raised in Israeli cities (Study 1) and of people who were raised in reformed kibbutzim (Study 2). Building on the socio-cultural model of autobiographical memory, we predicted and found that children raised in the traditional kibbutz, not by their parents, but by a metapelet, had a significantly later onset of autobiographical memory than children raised in reformed kibbutzim or outside the kibbutz, who were under the primary care of their parents. We also examined gender differences in reporting the earliest memory. No gender differences were observed within each setting in the age of the earliest memory, but consistent with past research, memories reported by females were more elaborate than those reported by males.

“The people I grew up with”: The role of sociodemographic factors in early memories in an Italian sample

“…Instead, as reviewed above, it is adultÁchild interaction that is more likely to provide for a richer narrative environment (Fivush et al, 2006). Lastly, Harpaz-Rotem and Hirst (2005), in a study comparing individuals raised in traditional kibbutz vs those raised either by their parents only or in a reformed kibbutz setting, found that those from the last two groups reported an earlier average age of first memories due to growing up in environments allowing for more parentÁchild interaction. Even though this work demonstrated that age of memories is related to social factors in the child's environment, the family structure on which they focus is still the nuclear family.…”

“…Household composition is an obvious aspect of the sociolinguistic environment that has been taken into account in previous studies of childhood amnesia (Harpaz-Rotem & Hirst, 2005;MacDonald et al, 2000;Mullen, 1994). Researchers found no significant effect of total household size for the age of earliest memory.…”

“…For example, women (Davis, 1999;Dudycha & Dudycha, 1933;Mullen, 1994) reported earlier first memories than men in some studies, but in other studies (Peterson & Nguyen, 2010;Peterson, Smorti, & Tani, 2008;Peterson, Wang, & Hou, 2009;Wang & Conway, 2004;West & Bauer, 1999) no gender difference was found. Moreover, firstborns (Harpaz-Rotem & Hirst, 2005;Mullen, 1994), those who moved during early childhood, and those who attended preschool (Mullen, 1994) all have earlier first memories.…”

Cultural influences on memory

“…Cultural differences emerge in early development, with autobiographical memory and self concept reciprocally influencing each other (Wang, 2006). For example, cultural differences in childrearing practices influence the onset of autobiographical memory, with children raised collectively in reformed kibbutzim reporting later first memories than children raised in more individualistic settings (Harpaz-Rotem and Hirst, 2005). These cultural differences in behavioral measures indicate that the types of social, emotional, and perhaps even sensory processes that contribute to autobiographical memory will differ across cultures based on the contents retrieved from autobiographical memory.…”

Cultural Influences on Social and Self-Relevant Memory

“…Research comparing groups raised with different childrearing practices also supports the idea that the concept of an independent self critically determines the development of autobiographical memory. Children raised collectively in reformed kibbutzim report fi rst memories that occur at a later age than children raised in more individualistic settings (Harpaz-Rotem & Hirst, 2005 ).…”