IV Nordic ISCAR1 Cultural and gender differences in autobiographical memories and self- descriptions: A narrative analysis De la Mata Benítez, Manuel L. 1 Hansen, Tia G. B. 2 Santamaría Santigosa, Andrés 2 Ruiz Ramos, Lucía 3, 1. Department of Experimental Psychology. University of Seville (Spain) 2. Department of Communication. Aalborg University (Denmark) 3. Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (Mexico) IV Nordic ISCAR. Oslo, June 15th-17h 2007

IV Nordic ISCAR2  Autobiographical memory (AM) emerges across the preschool years and contributes to the emergence of a new concept of self. It is related to changes that occur in different spheres of social, personality and cognitive development.  The emergence and development of this form of memory is related, according to Nelson, with the development of language, a cultural tool that plays a fundamental role in this development  Individual AM is shaped by social experiences and cultural values  There are cultural, gender and individual differences in AM and its development.  Narratives and memories of personal experiences emerge from social interactions. Autobiographical Memory: A Socio- Cultural Developmental View (Nelson & Fivush, 2004)

IV Nordic ISCAR3 - Self-construal - Emotion situation knowledge - Beliefs about personal past - Narrative environment Culture and AM Mechanisms of Cultural Influence (Leitchman, Wang & Pillemer, 2003)

IV Nordic ISCAR4 Differences between Americans and Chinese college students in their earliest memories (Wang, 2001): AM & Self-Construal American students  Earlier (6 months).  Lengthy  Specific  Self-focused  Emotionally elaborate Chinese students  Later (6 months).  Shorter  General  Others-focused  Emotionally less elaborate

IV Nordic ISCAR5 Differences in Self-orientation between American and Chinese college students (Wang, 2001). Characteristics of Self-descriptions Americans Chinese Americans Chinese - Self-focused - Group oriented - Asertive - Modest Self oriented towards independence Self oriented towards interdependence Culture & AM. Self-construal

IV Nordic ISCAR6 Studies about self-construal in Denmark, Spain and Mexico show some differences between these countries in terms of individualism vs. collectivism: (Hofstede, 1984, 2001, 2003; Oyserman, Coon & Kemmelmeier, 2002) Denmark Spain Mexico Denmark Spain Mexico Self-construal Denmark, Spain & Mexico IndividualismCollectivismism Independent self Interdependent self

IV Nordic ISCAR7 AM & Narrative Narratives are acquired in discursive practices about past experiences. Narratives are acquired in discursive practices about past experiences. Narrative as a discourse genre and as way of organizing experience (thinking). Narrative as a discourse genre and as way of organizing experience (thinking). The narrative form incorporates the structure of events and perspectives, goals, temporal context, causal structure (landscape of action, Bruner, 1986) and motivations, mental states, etc. (landscape of consciousness). The narrative form incorporates the structure of events and perspectives, goals, temporal context, causal structure (landscape of action, Bruner, 1986) and motivations, mental states, etc. (landscape of consciousness).

IV Nordic ISCAR8 The study: Aims 1) To analyse the relationship between AM and self- descriptions in college students. 2) To compare Danish, Spanish and Mexican students in the characteristics of their earliest memory and self- descriptions. 3) To analyse gender differences (and culture x gender interactions) in AM and self-descriptions. 4) To analyse some narrative aspects (i.e. the use of action & mental verbs and metacognitive evaluations ) of the earliest memory.

IV Nordic ISCAR9 Participants  College students from three different universities in three countries:  Aalborg Universitet (Denmark).  Universidad de Sevilla (Spain).  Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (Mexico.  Half females and half males  Similar socio-economic background.

IV Nordic ISCAR10 Wang (2001, 2004). Written questionnaires : Instrument Autobiographicalmemory Narrative of the earliest memory Questions about accesibiliy and emotions Self Construal Twenty Statements Test (TST)

IV Nordic ISCAR11 Categories of analysis (Wang, 2001, 2004) AM Memory volume Memory volume Age at earliest memory Age at earliest memory Memory content Memory content Memory specificity Memory specificity Memory emotionality Memory emotionality Autonomous orientation Autonomous orientation Number of others Number of others Interaction scenario Interaction scenario Other-self ratio Other-self ratio Prior recollection Prior recollectionSelf-Descriptions Organization Organization Evaluation Evaluation Abstraction Abstraction Content Content

IV Nordic ISCAR12 Narrative Analysis (Units) Action Verbs units Mental verbs units: CognitiveIntentionalEmotional Metacognitive units Kappa =.933 (sentences) Kappa =.873 (Self/others) Smorti, A. (2004). Narrative strategies among early adoslescents involved in bully-victim relationships. Journal of School Violence, 4(1), 5-27

IV Nordic ISCAR13 Results. AM Culture Culture: F = 12.89; df= 2; p <.001 **Culture: F = 12.89; df = 2; p >.001 ** * p <.05 ** P <.01

IV Nordic ISCAR14 Results. AM Gender Gender: F = 11.08; df = 1; p =.001 ** * p <.05 ** P <.01 Gender: F = 5.38; df = 1; p =.021 *

IV Nordic ISCAR15 Results. AM Culture x Gender Culture x Gender: F = 4.34; df = 2; p =.014 * * p <.05 ** P <.01

IV Nordic ISCAR16 Results. AM Culture x Gender Culture x Gender: χ2 = 8.85; df = 2; p =.012 * * p <.05 ** P <.01

IV Nordic ISCAR17 Results. Self-Descriptions Culture: Evaluations Culture: F = 36.65; df= 2; p <.001 ** * p <.05 ** P <.01 Culture: F = 3.61; df= 2; p =.028 * Culture: F = 34.96; df= 2; p <.001 **

IV Nordic ISCAR18 Narrative analysis Culture Culture: F = 11.15; df= 2; p >.001 **

IV Nordic ISCAR19 Narrative analysis Culture Culture: F = 5.31; df= 2; p =.034 *

IV Nordic ISCAR20 Narrative analysis Gender Culture: F = 5.46; df= 2; p =.001 **

IV Nordic ISCAR21 Narrative analysis Culture x Gender Culture x Gender: F = 3.11; df = 2; p =.045 * * p <.05 ** P <.01

IV Nordic ISCAR22 Summary. Cultural & Gender differences  Differences in AM between Danish, Spanish and Mexican college students in the age of the earliest memory (earlier in the Danish and Spanish students) and in emotions (more emotions in Mexicans and Spaniards than in Danes).  Culture and gender interaction in emotions (opposite trends in Danes and Mexicans) and specificity of the earliest memory (different trends in Danes compared to Spaniards and Mexicans).  Gender differences in autonomous orientation and prior recollections (both higher in women)  Differences between cultures in self-descriptions: more positive in Mexicans, more negative in Spaniards and more neutral evaluation in Danes.

IV Nordic ISCAR23 Summary: narrative analysis  Danish and Spanish students used more metacognitive units than Mexicans.  Spanish and Mexican students used more units referred to the self than Danes.  There was a gender difference in the use of emotional verbs (women used more). This trend vary across cultures, with opposite trends in Danes and Mexicans. There was a very small gender difference in the Spanish students.

IV Nordic ISCAR24 Conclusions Our data offered some evidence that is consistent with the idea that Danish culture is more individualistic, and Mexican culture more collectivistic, with the Spanish culture in an intermediate level. (except in the number of units referred to the self in the Danish students) Our data offered some evidence that is consistent with the idea that Danish culture is more individualistic, and Mexican culture more collectivistic, with the Spanish culture in an intermediate level. (except in the number of units referred to the self in the Danish students) However, differences were not very big. This may be due to: However, differences were not very big. This may be due to: No large differences between these cultures in terms of individualism-collectivism (Hofstede, 2001, 2003). No large differences between these cultures in terms of individualism-collectivism (Hofstede, 2001, 2003). The three groups were formed by college students: similarities in the socio-cultural activities they participate in. The three groups were formed by college students: similarities in the socio-cultural activities they participate in.

IV Nordic ISCAR25 Conclusions (2). Future research Need to analyze within-group differences and identify patterns of relation between AM and self-description variables. Need to analyze within-group differences and identify patterns of relation between AM and self-description variables. Need to deepen the analysis of individualism and collectivism as cultural dimensions and their relation to independent vs. interdependent self-construals. Need to deepen the analysis of individualism and collectivism as cultural dimensions and their relation to independent vs. interdependent self-construals. Need to study the relationship between socio-cultural context (activity settings), AM and self-construal. Need to study the relationship between socio-cultural context (activity settings), AM and self-construal.

26 Tusen takk! Thank you for your attention! And thanks to: Contact: Aja Greve Susanne Holm Lone Lee Jørgensen Lene Hundal Mikkelsen Birgitte Bergholt Grymer Cecilie Stjernholm Malene Overgaard Thimm Jensen Kamille Marie Pöckel For their great help in collecting and coding the data

IV Nordic ISCAR27 Cultural and gender differences in autobiographical memories and self- descriptions: A narrative analysis De la Mata Benítez, Manuel L. 1 Hansen, Tia G. B. 2 Santamaría Santigosa, Andrés 2 Ruiz Ramos, Lucía 3, 1. Department of Experimental Psychology. University of Seville (Spain) 2. Department of Communication. Aalborg University (Denmark) 3. Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (Mexico) IV Nordic ISCAR. Oslo, June 15th-17h 2007