![Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110801/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Behavioral-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that many people hold personal memories for events that they no longer believe occurred. This study examines the reasons that people provide for choosing to reduce autobiographical belief in vividly recollected autobiographical memories. A body of non-believed memories provided by 374 individuals was reviewed to develop a qualitatively derived categorisation system. The final scheme consisted of 8 major categories (in descending order of mention): social feedback, event plausibility, alternative attributions, general memory beliefs, internal event features, consistency with external evidence, views of self/others, personal motivation and numerous sub-categories. Independent raters coded the reports and judged the primary reason that each person provided for withdrawing belief. The nature of each category, frequency of category endorsement, category overlap and phenomenological ratings are presented, following which links to related literature and implications are discussed. This study documents that a wide variety of recollective and non-recollective sources of information influence decision-making about the occurrence of autobiographical events.
Portions of this work were reported at the 2013 meeting of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. This research was supported by a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant to the first author. The authors thank Razaan Barquni for assistance with data coding.
Portions of this work were reported at the 2013 meeting of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. This research was supported by a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant to the first author. The authors thank Razaan Barquni for assistance with data coding.