[en] People's self-images are grounded in autobiographical memories and, in particular, in the phenomenological experience associated with remembering. The desire to increase or maintain the positivity of the self-image (i.e., the self-enhancement motive) might thus play an important role in shaping memory phenomenology. This study examined this hypothesis by asking participants to recall positive and negative events that involve self-evaluations (i.e., pride and shame) and positive and negative events that involve evaluations about others (i.e., admiration and contempt); various phenomenological characteristics (e.g., sensory details, feeling of re-experiencing) were assessed using rating scales. The results show a positivity bias (i.e., subjectively remembering positive events with more details than negative events) for events that involve self-evaluations but not for events that involve evaluations of others. In addition, this bias was stronger for people high in self-esteem. It is concluded that biases affecting the phenomenology of autobiographical memory are part of the arsenal of psychological mechanisms people use to maintain a positive self-image.
Disciplines :
Theoretical & cognitive psychology
Author, co-author :
D'Argembeau, Arnaud ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cognitives > Psychopathologie cognitive
Van der Linden, Martial ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cognitives > Psychopathologie cognitive
Language :
English
Title :
Remembering pride and shame: Self-enhancement and the phenomenology of autobiographical memory
Publication date :
2008
Journal title :
Memory
ISSN :
0965-8211
eISSN :
1464-0686
Publisher :
Taylor & Francis Ltd, Basingstoke, United Kingdom
Volume :
16
Issue :
5
Pages :
538-547
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Commentary :
The original publication is available at www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com
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