Negative memories serve functions in both adaptive and maladaptive ways

Memory
Ryan BurnellMaryanne Garry

Abstract

Autobiographical memories are said to serve at least three functions: they direct people's behaviour, inform their identity, and facilitate social bonding and communication. But much of the research on these three functions has not distinguished between memories that serve functions in adaptive ways from those that serve functions in maladaptive ways. Across two experiments, we asked subjects to provide either positive or negative memories. Then, to operationalise adaptive and maladaptive functions, we asked subjects to rate the extent to which those memories serve directive, self, and social functions in ways that "help" and in ways that "hurt". To investigate whether people believe the adaptive benefits of their memories outweigh any maladaptive effects, we also asked subjects how willing they would be to erase the memories if given the opportunity. We found that negative memories served functions in both helpful and hurtful ways, whereas positive memories were primarily helpful. Furthermore, the more helpful a memory was, the more reluctant subjects were to erase it. Conversely, the more hurtful a memory was, the more willing subjects were to erase it. These results suggest it is important to distinguish between adaptive and...Continue Reading

References

Jun 1, 1988·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·D WatsonA Tellegen
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Jul 15, 2015·Consciousness and Cognition·David B PillemerConnie Svob
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Jan 24, 2017·Applied Cognitive Psychology·Robert A NashSimon Roche
Feb 17, 2018·Memory·Adriana Del Palacio-GonzalezDorthe Berntsen

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