On telling the whole story: Facts and interpretations in autobiographical memory narratives from childhood through midadolescence.
Abstract
This article examines age differences from childhood through middle adolescence in the extent to which children include factual and interpretive information in constructing autobiographical memory narratives. Factual information is defined as observable or perceptible information available to all individuals who experience a given event, while interpretive information is defined as information that articulates the desires, emotions, beliefs, and thoughts of the participant and other individuals who experience an event. Developmental research suggests that the latter type of information should become particularly prevalent in later adolescence, while the former should be abundantly evident by age 8. Across 2 studies, we found evidence for strong increases in interpretive information during adolescence, but not before. These increases were evident across different types of events, and across different subtypes of interpretive content. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the development of autobiographical memory in childhood and adolescence.
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Processes of autobiographical remembering and meaning-making are often associated with social interactions.
“processes of autobiographical remembering and meaning-making are often associated with social interactions (Grysman et al., 2024;Nelson & Fivush, 2004;Pasupathi & Wainryb, 2010)”
From Understanding Autobiographical Memory in the Digital Age: The AMEDIA-Model (2024) · cites this paper as Pasupathi & Wainryb, 2010
Processes of narrating one's life and reasoning about autobiographical events are deeply social in nature and often take place in conversations.
“the processes of narrating one's life and reasoning about autobiographical events are deeply social in nature and often take place in conversations (Grysman et al., 2024;Nelson & Fivush, 2004;Pasupathi & Wainryb, 2010).”
From Understanding Autobiographical Memory in the Digital Age: The AMEDIA-Model (2024) · cites this paper as Pasupathi & Wainryb, 2010
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Understanding Autobiographical Memory in the Digital Age: The AMEDIA-Model
Hutmacher, F., Appel, M., & Schwan, S. (2024) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1080/1047840x.2024.2384125 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
- Authors
- Pasupathi, M., & Wainryb, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Utah (US)
- Venue
- Developmental Psychology
- Published
- 2010
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 735-746
- ISSN
- 0012-1649 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-0599
- OpenAlex
- W2163836323
- Cited by
- 166
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 15.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Keywords
- autobiographical memory, memory narratives, factual information, age differences, childhood, adolescence, memory development, narrative content
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Affect, Age Factors, Child, Child Development, Concept Formation, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Recall, Repression, Psychology, Self Concept, Self Disclosure, Suggestion, Narration, Adolescent Development
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