Shared reality, memory goal satisfaction, and psychological well-being during conversational remembering

ABSTRACT

Conversational remembering, or sharing autobiographical memories with others, occurs frequently in everyday communication. The current project examined how the experience of shared reality with a conversation partner when describing autobiographical memories to them can operate to enhance the self, social, and directive uses of a recalled memory and explored the role of shared reality experienced as a result of conversational remembering in psychological well-being. In this project, conversational remembering was examined using experimental (Study 1) and daily diary (Study 2) methodologies. Results indicated that experiencing a shared reality during conversational remembering of an autobiographical memory enhanced self, social, and directive memory goal fulfilment and was positively associated with greater psychological well-being. The current investigation highlights important benefits of sharing our life stories with others, especially those with whom we develop a sense of shared reality.

KEYWORDS:

• Autobiographical memory
• conversational remembering
• well-being‌
• shared reality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 Although the current study was underpowered to detect indirect effects (Fritz & MacKinnon, 2007), exploratory mediation analyses were conducted to examine whether self-reported shared reality mediated the effects of the audience interest manipulation on self, social, and directive memory outcomes. Results indicated that the indirect effect of audience interest on self memory outcomes, b = -0.23, bootstrap 95% CI [-0.60, 0.15], and directive memory outcomes, b = -0.10, bootstrap 95% CI [-0.38, 0.19], were not significantly different from zero. However, the indirect effect of audience interest on social memory outcomes was significantly different from zero, b = -1.11, bootstrap 95% CI [-1.44, -0.81], suggesting that shared reality mediated the effects of audience interest on social memory outcomes but did not mediate the effects of audience interest on self and directive memory outcomes.

2 Additional analyses were conducted with memory valence entered as a covariate within each model. After controlling for memory valence, the within-subjects indirect effect of self goals through shared reality on daily well-being remained significant, b = .01, MCCI [.005, .024], the within-subjects indirect effect of social goals through shared reality on daily well-being remained significant, b = .02, MCCI [.012, .034], and the within-subjects indirect effect of directive goals through shared reality on daily well-being was also significant, b = .01, MCCI [.001, .016].