The role of belief in occurrence within autobiographical memory

Scoboria, Alan; Jackson, Dennis L.; Talarico, Jennifer; Hanczakowski, Maciej; Wysman, Lauren; Mazzoni, Giuliana

Abstract

This article examines the idea that believing that events occurred in the past is a non-memorial decision that reflects underlying processes that are distinct from recollecting events. Research on autobiographical memory has often focused on events that are both believed to have occurred and remembered, thus tending to overlook the distinction between autobiographical belief and recollection. Studying event representations such as false memories, believed-not-remembered events, and non-believed memories shows the influence of non-memorial processes on evaluations of occurrence. Believing that an event occurred and recollecting an event may be more strongly dissociated than previously stated. The relative independence of these constructs was examined in 2 studies. In Study 1, multiple events were cued, and then each was rated on autobiographical belief, recollection, and other memory characteristics. In Study 2, participants described a nonbelieved memory, a believed memory, and a believed-not-remembered event, and they made similar ratings. In both studies, structural equation modeling techniques revealed distinct belief and recollection latent variables. Modeling the predictors of these factors revealed a double dissociation: Perceptual, re-experiencing, and emotional features predicted recollection and not belief, whereas event plausibility strongly predicted belief and weakly predicted recollection. The results show that judgments of autobiographical belief and recollection are distinct, that each is influenced by different sources of information and processes, and that the strength of their relationship varies depending on the type of event under study. The concept of autobiographical belief is elaborated, and implications of the findings are discussed in relation to decision making about events, social influence on memory, metacognition, and recognition processes.

Citation

Scoboria, A., Jackson, D. L., Talarico, J., Hanczakowski, M., Wysman, L., & Mazzoni, G. (2014). The role of belief in occurrence within autobiographical memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(3), 1242-1258. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034110

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 25, 2013
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Deposit Date: Mar 14, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 14, 2016
• Journal: Journal of experimental psychology : general
• Print ISSN: 0096-3445
• Electronic ISSN: 0096-3445
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 143
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 1242-1258
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034110
• Keywords: Autobiographical memory; Retention; Dual process models; Decision making
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/412905
• Publisher URL: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayrecord&uid=2013-29649-001
• Additional Information: This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0034110.supp (Supplemental)