Influence of self-referential mode on memory for aMCI patients

ABSTRACT

One’s concept of the self can act as a schema, in some cases facilitating memory performance but in other cases making memory more prone to errors. In this study, we attempted to induce long-lasting self-reference effects through an autobiographical mode in younger and older adults, as well as patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), predicting that a self-referential mode of thought would benefit memory. Participants first either recalled autobiographical memories or described three neutral photographs in a narrative condition. This was followed by a conventional self-referencing task. At retrieval, participants completed a recognition task. Contrary to our prediction, the self-referencing benefit emerged consistently under autobiographical and narrative modes across all groups. Although our findings indicate that self-referencing can benefit memory, it carries the risk of increasing false alarm rates when induced through an autobiographical mode and consequently the strategy should be utilized with caution.

KEYWORDS:

• Memory
• self
• autobiographical memory
• aging
• amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Angela Gutchess http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3047-5907

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Alzheimer’s Association [New Investigator Research grant NIRG-14-322250 (to AG)]. Results from this study were reported in a Brandeis University first year PhD project (by WZ) and presented previously at the 2018 Cognitive Aging Conference in Atlanta, GA.