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Articles

Influence of self-referential mode on memory for aMCI patients

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Pages 46-57 | Received 11 Apr 2019, Accepted 10 Aug 2019, Published online: 22 Aug 2019
 

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.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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.

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