The effect of the order in which episodic autobiographical memories versus autobiographical knowledge are shared on feelings of closeness

ABSTRACT

Autobiographical memories (AMs) can be used to create and maintain closeness with others [Alea, N., & Bluck, S. (2003). Why are you telling me that? A conceptual model of the social function of autobiographical memory. Memory, 11(2), 165–178]. However, the differential effects of memory specificity are not well established. Two studies with 148 participants tested whether the order in which autobiographical knowledge (AK) and specific episodic AM (EAM) are shared affects feelings of closeness. Participants read two memories hypothetically shared by each of four strangers. The strangers first shared either AK or an EAM, and then shared either AK or an EAM. Participants were randomly assigned to read either positive or negative AMs from the strangers. Findings suggest that people feel closer to those who share positive AMs in the same way they construct memories: starting with general and moving to specific.

KEYWORDS:

• Autobiographical memory
• closeness
• strangers
• self-disclosure
• social connections

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Participants who did not complete the questionnaire were removed from analysis. This totalled three participants in Study 1 and two participants in Study 2.

2. At a reviewer’s request, we controlled for “interest” from the PANAS; however, this yielded no significant results. Note that this measured momentary interested affect, not necessarily interest in the information itself.