TY - JOUR
T1 - Cue generation and memory construction in direct and generative autobiographical memory retrieval
AU - Harris, Celia
AU - O'Connor, Akira Robert
AU - Sutton, John
N1 - The authors acknowledge the funding support we have received: (1) a Macquarie University Research Fellowship for Celia Harris; (2) support from the Belief Program of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders for Celia Harris and Akira O’Connor; (3) a Macquarie University Faculty of Human Sciences Visiting Fellowship for Celia Harris and Akira O’Connor to collaborate together; and (4) support from the Australian Research Council Discovery Projects scheme for Celia Harris (DP130101090) and John Sutton (DP120100187).
PY - 2015/5
Y1 - 2015/5
N2 - Theories of autobiographical memory emphasise effortful, generative search processes in memory retrieval. However recent research suggests that memories are often retrieved directly, without effortful search. We investigated whether direct and generative retrieval differed in the characteristics of memories recalled, or only in terms of retrieval latency. Participants recalled autobiographical memories in response to cue words. For each memory, they reported whether it was retrieved directly or generatively, rated its visuo-spatial perspective, and judged its accompanying recollective experience. Our results indicated that direct retrieval was commonly reported and was faster than generative retrieval, replicating recent findings. The characteristics of directly retrieved memories differed from generatively retrieved memories: directly retrieved memories had higher field perspective ratings and lower observer perspective ratings. However, retrieval mode did not influence recollective experience. We discuss our findings in terms of cue generation and content construction, and the implication for reconstructive models of autobiographical memory.
AB - Theories of autobiographical memory emphasise effortful, generative search processes in memory retrieval. However recent research suggests that memories are often retrieved directly, without effortful search. We investigated whether direct and generative retrieval differed in the characteristics of memories recalled, or only in terms of retrieval latency. Participants recalled autobiographical memories in response to cue words. For each memory, they reported whether it was retrieved directly or generatively, rated its visuo-spatial perspective, and judged its accompanying recollective experience. Our results indicated that direct retrieval was commonly reported and was faster than generative retrieval, replicating recent findings. The characteristics of directly retrieved memories differed from generatively retrieved memories: directly retrieved memories had higher field perspective ratings and lower observer perspective ratings. However, retrieval mode did not influence recollective experience. We discuss our findings in terms of cue generation and content construction, and the implication for reconstructive models of autobiographical memory.
KW - Autobiographical memory
KW - Direct retrieval
KW - Generative retrieval
KW - Visuo-spatial perspective
KW - Recollective experience
KW - Memory reconstruction
U2 - 10.1016/j.concog.2014.12.012
DO - 10.1016/j.concog.2014.12.012
M3 - Article
SN - 1053-8100
VL - 33
SP - 204
EP - 216
JO - Consciousness and Cognition
JF - Consciousness and Cognition
ER -