Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression?
It has long been noted that the emotional impact of an autobiographical memory is associated with the vantage perspective from which it is recalled (Freud, 1950). Memories recalled from a first-person "field" perspective are phenomenologically rich, while third-person "observer"...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2009
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| _version_ | 1826286069995274240 |
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| author | Kuyken, W Moulds, M |
| author_facet | Kuyken, W Moulds, M |
| author_sort | Kuyken, W |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | It has long been noted that the emotional impact of an autobiographical memory is associated with the vantage perspective from which it is recalled (Freud, 1950). Memories recalled from a first-person "field" perspective are phenomenologically rich, while third-person "observer" perspective memories contain more descriptive but less affective detail (Nigro and Neisser, 1983). Although there is some evidence that depressed individuals retrieve more observer memories than non-depressed individuals (e.g., Kuyken and Howell, 2006), little is known of the cognitive mechanisms associated with observer memories in depression. At pre- and post-treatment, 123 patients with a history of recurrent depression completed self-report measures and the autobiographical memory task (AMT). Participants also indicated the vantage perspective of the memories recalled on the AMT. Observer memories were less vivid, older, and more frequently rehearsed. The tendency to retrieve observer perspective memories was associated with greater negative self-evaluation, lower dispositional mindfulness, and greater use of avoidance. Furthermore, participants who recalled more field perspective memories at pre-treatment had lower levels of post-treatment depression, controlling for pre-treatment levels of depression and trait rumination. We apply contemporary accounts from social and cognitive psychology, and propose potential mechanisms that link the tendency to retrieve observer perspective memories to depression. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T01:38:19Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:95f63080-e072-4891-bedc-8a93a656cb7b |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T01:38:19Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:95f63080-e072-4891-bedc-8a93a656cb7b2022-03-26T23:49:47ZRemembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression?Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:95f63080-e072-4891-bedc-8a93a656cb7bEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Kuyken, WMoulds, MIt has long been noted that the emotional impact of an autobiographical memory is associated with the vantage perspective from which it is recalled (Freud, 1950). Memories recalled from a first-person "field" perspective are phenomenologically rich, while third-person "observer" perspective memories contain more descriptive but less affective detail (Nigro and Neisser, 1983). Although there is some evidence that depressed individuals retrieve more observer memories than non-depressed individuals (e.g., Kuyken and Howell, 2006), little is known of the cognitive mechanisms associated with observer memories in depression. At pre- and post-treatment, 123 patients with a history of recurrent depression completed self-report measures and the autobiographical memory task (AMT). Participants also indicated the vantage perspective of the memories recalled on the AMT. Observer memories were less vivid, older, and more frequently rehearsed. The tendency to retrieve observer perspective memories was associated with greater negative self-evaluation, lower dispositional mindfulness, and greater use of avoidance. Furthermore, participants who recalled more field perspective memories at pre-treatment had lower levels of post-treatment depression, controlling for pre-treatment levels of depression and trait rumination. We apply contemporary accounts from social and cognitive psychology, and propose potential mechanisms that link the tendency to retrieve observer perspective memories to depression. |
| spellingShingle | Kuyken, W Moulds, M Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression? |
| title | Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression? |
| title_full | Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression? |
| title_fullStr | Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression? |
| title_short | Remembering as an observer: how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression? |
| title_sort | remembering as an observer how is autobiographical memory retrieval vantage perspective linked to depression |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kuykenw rememberingasanobserverhowisautobiographicalmemoryretrievalvantageperspectivelinkedtodepression AT mouldsm rememberingasanobserverhowisautobiographicalmemoryretrievalvantageperspectivelinkedtodepression |