Autobiographical memory: an introduction

Abstract

Part 1 Identifying autobiographical memory: types of memories types of autobiographical memories are autobiographivcal memories true? what do autobiographical memories represent? summary - characteristics of autobiographical memories. Part 2 The early theorists: Ribot - a vision in time Galton: cueing autobiographical memory Freud - past as dictator Bartlett - reconstructing past early experimentalists modern agenda. Part 3 The time of your life: sampling memory - Galton's original data short lives - sampling memory age distributions of young people long lives - sampling memory age distributions of older people distribution of memory ages across life-span, reconsidered memory age distributions from short, and verifiable, time periods sampling structured time periods - school year dating by landmarks process of dating summary - memory retrieval and memory dating. Part 4 Vivid memories: memories criticisms of flashbulb memory concept veridicality and determinants of memories memories - a special class of memories? role of emotion in vivid memory formation conclusions - characteristics of flashbulb, and vivid, memories. Part 5 Emotions and self: emotion and autobiographical memory self and autobiographical memory self-knowledge summary - emotion and personal significance. Part 6 Organization in autobiographical memory: computational models of event knowledge structure of autobiographical memory life themes theoretical aspects of structure - the past is another country summary - organization of autobiographical memory. Part 7 Remembering past - process of retrieval: generate-search-verify model recency, categories and images single-case studies events and thoughts conclusions - retrieval of specific memories. Part 8 The development and decline of autobiographical memory: development of autobiographical memory - childhood amnesia Freud and repression of past knowledge structures and emergence of autobiographical memories autobiographical memory in old age decline of autobiographical memory meaning of life. Part 9 The impairment of autobiographical memory: amnesia impairments of public knowledge impairments of autobiographical memory methodological note living with amnesia autobiographical memory in depression. Part 10 Autobiographical memory and cognition: aspects of autobiographical memory facts, concepts and memories learning, problem-solving and explanation what is an autobiographical memory? conclusions.