Remembering and telling self-consistent and self-discrepant memories

Abstract

It has been argued that memories that are inconsistent with one's self would differ from those that are consistent with the self. The present study addresses retrieval, phenomenology, rehearsal and narrative characteristics of autobiographical memories that are consistent versus discrepant with one's self. One hundred participants were asked to recall one self-consistent and one self-discrepant memory as well as an episode of telling these memories to others. They also filled out the Autobiographical Memory Questionnaire and the Centrality of Event Scale for each memory. Results showed no difference between self-consistent and self-discrepant memories in retrieval time, specificity or phenomenology. However, self-discrepant memory narratives contained more meaning-making statements and less autonomy than self-consistent memories. Compared to self-consistent memories, self-discrepant memories were told to fewer people, and listener responses were more negative when they were told. Results are discussed in relation to the functions these memories serve.

Keywords:

• Autobiographical memory
• Self-defining memory
• Self-consistent
• Self-discrepant

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank Müge Özvarol and Müge Özbek Akçay for their help in various stages of this work.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Ali İ. Tekcan would like to thank TÜBİTAK for its support through a BİDEB 2219 grant.