1. Autobiographical memory
Matt Jarvis
Philip Allan Publishers © 2016

2. Background: Long-term memory
There is evidence for several different systems in long-term memory:
Implicit memory: memory we are not conscious of, for example motor skills
Explicit memory: memory we are aware of, for example facts and events
Explicit memory can be further divided:
Episodic memory: memory for events
Semantic memory: memory for facts
Philip Allan Publishers © 2016

3. What is autobiographical memory?
A type of explicit memory Memory of our own lives
Includes elements of episodic memory, i.e. memory of events
Includes elements of semantic memory, i.e. knowledge of facts
Moments of experience
Facts about self and the events
Philip Allan Publishers © 2016

4. The reminiscence bump
Memories are not evenly distributed across the lifespan.
Childhood amnesia: we recall little from the first 5 years
Reminiscence bump: we recall a lot of detail from 15 to 25 years
Recency: we also recall a lot from recent events
Philip Allan Publishers © 2016

5. Explanations for the reminiscence bump
The novel experience hypothesis suggests that we recall most detail from the period in which we have most new experiences but only a small proportion of memories from the reminiscence bump are of new experiences. The self-identity hypothesis suggests that our sense of self requires that we recall most detail from the period when we form a stable identity. Evidence The reminiscence bump of migrants peaks at the age when they migrated (Schrauf and Rubin, 1998)
Philip Allan Publishers © 2016

6. The self-memory system
Conway (2005) proposed the self-memory system to explain autobiographical memory.
Autobiographical memory comprises themes that span a range of ages:
school theme
family theme
relationship theme
work theme
At each age within each theme are specific episodic memories.
These form a coherent life story that makes up our sense of self.
Philip Allan Publishers © 2016

7. Applications of Conway’s model
It appears that the working self acts to maintain its coherence so it makes memories more or less accessible in order to keep a stable sense of self.
PTSD often involves intrusive memories. These can be explained by the working self editing memory in order to protect the sense of self.
Amnesia may involve adopting an identity consistent with a period that the patient can recall clearly
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