Will Royson
You might recognize the word “autobiographical” in the context of literature. But it also applies in the context of memory: autobiographical memory.
Like a good autobiographical book, an autobiographical memory is full of facts. If you have a strong autobiographical memory, you can remember a lot about your life in vivid detail. The stronger your autobiographical memory, the better you can recall the nitty gritty stuff, even despite passing time.
If you’re someone who has an autobiographical memory, this might seem “normal” to you. But not everyone can remember events that have happened many years ago, let alone the finer details like who, where, what, when, why.
Some of us can’t even remember what we ate for breakfast this morning.
Do you have an autobiographical memory? Read on to find out.
What Is Autobiographical Memory?
Take a look back on your life. Do any major events immediately pop up for you? Have you had some significant experiences that have changed the course of your life? What about those seemingly insignificant moments that you still, for some reason, think about from time to time?
Your autobiographical memory is made up of all of these times, and then some. It’s a system in which all of these types of personal memories you’ve collected over the years are stored and retrieved.
Someone with a strong autobiographical memory can recall a lot of their experiences in detail and piece them together like a puzzle or collage.
If you don’t have such a good memory for personal life events, our list of memory techniques can help you sort through your mental files and strengthen your recall.
What Is Superior Autobiographical Memory?
When you think back to a specific period of your life, chances are you can recall the key bits and pieces. But there are some people who can remember every detail of every day of their lives since mid-childhood. These individuals have superior autobiographical memory, also known as hyperthymesia. Essentially, they are able to locate and group memories far more successfully than the average person.
Superior autobiographical memory is different from just having a good memory in that the recall abilities are limited to personal events. People with superior autobiographical memories can only retain information about themselves in great detail.
Because there are very few people with hyperthymesia, there is a lack of research exploring the cause. Some research suggests that it stems from biological, genetic or psychological factors. Studies on hyperthymesia are ongoing, as researchers attempt to understand how the brain processes both long- and short-term memories.
The Four Types of Autobiographical Memory
There are four main categories used to classify the types of autobiographical memories.
1. Personal information
This type of memory includes the knowledge of things as seemingly innate as your own name, the names of your friends and family or where you grew up.
2. Copies and reconstructions
When the brain retrieves memories from their separate “neighborhoods,” they change location. As they move from place to place, their makeup is altered in some way. As a result, the brain reconstructs these memories the best it can, but we know the memories have been compromised and may be unreliable.
Some memories become copies which often seem so realistic it is almost impossible to differentiate between which are real and which aren’t.
3. Generic and specific
Generic memories tend to be easier to recall. They center around a generic event and don’t require us to go back to an exact time. On the other hand, specific memories may necessitate further information in order to recall (e.g., going to see a movie is a generic event, but going to see Avatar is a specific memory that may invoke questioning, such as when and where).
4. Perspective
While memories are reconstructions, they are typically recalled from your own point of view. With perspective thinking, we are able to see ourselves from different angles (for example, maybe you see yourself in the movie theater from a bird’s-eye view or from the point of view of a fellow movie-goer).
The Three Levels of Autobiographical Memory
Autobiographical memories are also categorized into three levels.
1. Lifetime periods
Lifetime periods are the basis for autobiographical memory. These include memories that span several years (i.e. going to middle school), and they are often retrieved with the least resistance. When starting with lifetime periods, general and specific events become easier to access.
2. General events
General events occur over shorter stints of time. These could take place over a couple of days or a couple of months (i.e. attending a music festival).
3. Specific events
Event-specific memories refer to memories of events that happened over an abbreviated amount of time (i.e. remembering your first kiss). There is a precision in these sorts of memories in that the timeline could be as limited as seconds, minutes or hours.
Examples of Autobiographical Memory
To find examples of autobiographical memory, think back to the idea that these memories include anything that may go in your own autobiography. Whether positive, negative or neutral, any event you experience throughout your life will work.
- Your first time riding a bike
- Learning to drive
- Your first day at a new job
- Your 21st birthday party
- That first kiss
- The day you started your career
- Your wedding day
- The birth of a child
- Witnessing a burglary
Autobiographical Memory Retrieval Cues
Have you ever wished you could be transported back in time to relive a favorite memory? We can often engage our autobiographical memory in response to a cue or prompt that reminds us of a certain event.
Words, smells, sounds and images can activate our memories, bringing about vivid details from specific days and events from our pasts. Memory cues can also be internal to the person retrieving the memory, such as physical states or feelings. In many cases, there may be a combination of internal and external cues that help us identify and retrieve specific memories.
- External Cues – Objects or sensory events that trigger a memory with which they are associated. For example, a song or smell that takes you right back to a moment in time.
- Internal Cues – Patterns of thinking that help trigger a specific memory. For example, visualizing a room in your childhood home to stir up feelings of the past.
Given that autobiographical memory deals with these personal experiences, it is a great tool for understanding emotions and strengthening self-esteem. If you’d like to improve your recall abilities, the Dorothy app offers tools and techniques that can help you do just that. Using a process called spaced repetition, Dorothy improves your ability to memorize, remember and recall anything.