Autobiographical Memory
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Kristina Petersén Karlsson Autobiographical Memory Depending on sensory retrieval cue and gender Kristina Petersén Karlsson Autobiographical Memory Autobiographical ISBN 978-91-7797-572-4 Department of Psychology Doctoral Thesis in Psychology at Stockholm University, Sweden 2019 Autobiographical Memory Depending on sensory retrieval cue and gender Kristina Petersén Karlsson Academic dissertation for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Stockholm University to be publicly defended on Friday 29 March 2019 at 13.00 in David Magnussonsalen (U31), Frescati Hagväg 8. Abstract In my thesis I raised two questions: Does autobiographical memory differ i) depending on the sensory retrieval cue (Study I and II)? and ii) depending on gender (Study III)? Concerning retrieval cues, three unimodal cues (i.e., photographs, naturalistic sounds and odors) and one multimodal cue (i.e., the three unimodal cues presented simultaneously) were used to evoke autobiographical memories. The results demonstrated that the memories differed depending on retrieval cue. In particular, the olfactory-cued memories differed in semantic content and were from an earlier age in contrast to the other modalities. The visually and auditory-evoked memories differed less than expected in their semantic content and age distribution in relation to the multimodal condition. The multimodally cued memories could be described as being a combination of the three unimodalities, as illustrated by the semantic content and age distribution, though they were more similar to the visually and auditory-cued memories than to the olfactory-cued memories. One possible explanation for these results could be that we attend more to visual and auditory perceptions than to olfactory. With regard to gender, previous research has found gender differences in the manifest content (i.e., the actual words used) of autobiographical memories. However, to my knowledge none has investigated gender differences in the latent content (i.e., the underlying meaning in the expressed words). The results indicated that there was no difference between the genders in the manifest content. However, the females latently described their memories in more communal terms than males did, which supports the assumption that females are more communally oriented than are males. Keywords: autobiographical memory, sensory retrieval cues, age distribution, phenomenological ratings, latent semantic analysis (LSA), linguistic inquiry word count (LIWC), gender differences. Stockholm 2019 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-166098 ISBN 978-91-7797-572-4 ISBN 978-91-7797-573-1 Department of Psychology Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORY Kristina Petersén Karlsson Autobiographical Memory Depending on sensory retrieval cue and gender Kristina Petersén Karlsson ©Kristina Petersén Karlsson, Stockholm University 2019 ISBN print 978-91-7797-572-4 ISBN PDF 978-91-7797-573-1 Printed in Sweden by Universitetsservice US-AB, Stockholm 2019 Fragments of an experience is encoded, and as a paleontologist piece together pieces of a few bones to a dinosaur, we piece together fragmented pieces of experiences to a memory at retrieval. Ulric Neisser (1967) Abstract In my thesis I raised two questions: Does autobiographical memory differ i) depending on the sensory retrieval cue (Study I and II)? and ii) depending on gender (Study III)? Concerning retrieval cues, three unimodal cues (i.e., photographs, nat- uralistic sounds and odors) and one multimodal cue (i.e., the three unimodal cues presented simultaneously) were used to evoke autobiographical memo- ries. The results demonstrated that the memories differed depending on re- trieval cue. In particular, the olfactory-cued memories differed in semantic content and were from an earlier age in contrast to the other modalities. The visually and auditory-evoked memories differed less than expected in their semantic content and age distribution in relation to the multimodal condition. The multimodally cued memories could be described as being a combination of the three unimodalities, as illustrated by the semantic content and age dis- tribution, though they were more similar to the visually and auditory-cued memories than to the olfactory-cued memories. One possible explanation for these results could be that we attend more to visual and auditory perceptions than to olfactory. With regard to gender, previous research has found gender differences in the manifest content (i.e., the actual words used) of autobiographical mem- ories. However, to my knowledge none has investigated gender differences in the latent content (i.e., the underlying meaning in the expressed words). The results indicated that there was no difference between the genders in the man- ifest content. However, the females latently described their memories in more communal terms than males did, which supports the assumption that females are more communally oriented than are males. Keywords: autobiographical memory, sensory retrieval cues, age distribu- tion, phenomenological ratings, latent semantic analysis (LSA), linguistic in- quiry word count (LIWC), gender differences ix Svensk sammanfattning I min avhandling så ställde jag två frågor: skiljer sig självbiografiska minnen åt i) beroende på den sensoriska framplockningsledtrådens modalitet (Studie I och II) och ii) beroende på kön (Studie III)? Gällande framplockningsledtråd, så användes tre unimodala ledtrådar (i.e., fotografier, naturalistiska ljud och lukter) och en multimodal (i.e., de tre unimodala ledtrådarna presenterade samtidigt) för att väcka självbiografiska minnen. Det visade sig att minnena skiljde sig åt beroende på den sensoriska framplockningsledtrådens modalitet. I synnerhet så skiljde sig de olfaktoriskt framplockade minnena från de andra modaliteterna i semantiskt innehåll och åldersdistribution. De olfaktoriska minnena var från en tidigare ålder än min- nena väckta av de andra modaliteterna. I förhållande till de multimodalt fram- plockade minnena så skiljde sig de visuellt och de auditivt framplockade min- nena mindre än förväntat i såväl semantiskt innehåll som åldersdistribution. Vidare så kan de multimodalt framplockade minnena, beskrivas som en kom- bination av de tre unimodala betingelserna, men att i högre utsträckning likna de visuellt och auditivt framplockade minnena än de olfaktoriska. En möjlig förklaring till resultaten kan vara att vi uppmärksammar visuella och auditiva sinnesintryck mer än olfaktoriska. Rörande kön, så har tidigare studier visat på könsskillnader i det ma- nifesta (i.e., de faktiska uttalade orden) minnesinnehållet. Men enligt min vet- skap så har ingen tidigare studie undersökt könsskillnader i det latenta (i.e., den underliggande meningen i de sagda orden) minnesinnehållet. Resultatet visade att minnesberättelserna inte skiljde sig åt mellan könen i det manifest beskrivna, men latent så uttryckte kvinnorna mer kommunalitet i sina minnes- utsagor än männen gjorde. Ett resultat som skulle kunna stödja antagandet att kvinnor är mer relationsorienterade än män. Nyckelord: självbiografiskt minne, sensoriska framplockningsledtrådar, ål- dersdistribution, fenomenologiska skattningar, latent semantisk analys (LSA), lingvistisk ordräkning (LIWC), könsskillnader x Acknowledgements Johan you are the best! My main guide in the world of Academia, Johan Wil- lander have been a huge support for me all the way. He has the taught me his skilled way of conducting the art of scientific research, sharing his knowledge in long scientific conversations, but also of tremendous importance, giving me a therapeutic listening ear when the road was bumpy. I wish everyone a su- pervisor (and a friend) as you! Fredrik and Sverker you are great! You have both been of enormous support. In specific, Fredrik Jönsson, in supporting my developmental journey in the land of academic writing, but also in general when my map was upside down. I will always remember the blue tractor! In other words, to do one thing at a time. The advice kept me sane. Furthermore, Sverker Sikström in the land of latent semantic analyses and by constantly introducing new analysis ideas. I wish I could remember them all! PhD friends – I wouldn’t have managed without you! I have so appreciated the support you have given me. Stina, you are a particular star in my heaven – a star positioned very close to Sol, Andreas J., Ivo, Azade, Joel, Ivo, Veit, Max, Jelena, Nathalie and Anders. You great others: Sebastian, Tina, Elmeri, Gustav T., Anna, Ingela, Maria R. E., Philip, Artin, Henrik, Hellen, Nichel, Andreas G., Lena L., Cecilia, Aiko, Johanna S., Johanna C., – and many more, not mentioned in words, but present in my mind – thanks, for all interesting discussions, fika and laughs! Support all over the place at the Department of Psychology! So many times, during my trip I met guides at station after station who have given me bits and pieces of their knowledge. In no particular order: Torun, Elisabeth, Marie, Ann-Charlotte, Maria Larsson, Mats Nilsson, Mats Najström, Timo, Håkan, Petri, Stephan, Stefan, Pehr, Lilianne, Margareta, Maria Landauer, Gunnar, Henry, Pia, Lars B., Åke, Erik, Magnus, Petra, Linda, Monika, Kerstin, Wenche, Lena, Tingting, Sara, Eva, Henrik D., Henrik B., Tommy, Camilla, Åsa, Henrietta, Jenny, Julia, Stefan and Shahin. A special thanks goes to the participants in the studies! Last but not least, a big thank you to my extended and nuclear family, and friends outside the department! xi List of studies The present doctoral