Role of cognitive abilities on autobiographical memory performance

How individuals remember their personal past has an impact on daily life functioning since it establishes a context for future actions. However, the cognitive basis underlying autobiographical recollection have been scarcely investigated in empirical designs. Furthermore, literature suffers from the absence of studies regarding how accurately individuals retrieve their original memories and underlying cognitive mechanisms. In this vein, a basic-systems model was proposed, and it asserts that lower-level cognitive systems interact to form autobiographical memories. The current study empirically tested this model and investigated the relative contributions of these basic systems (i.e., explicit memory, search and retrieval, mental imagery, language, emotion, and narrative) to metacognitive judgments (i.e., reliving and belief) and retrieval accuracy of memories. The first experimental session served as an autobiographical experience and participants had predetermined conversations and subsequently performed some cognitive tasks. Following 7 to 15 days, participants recalled the previous session, made metacognitive judgments, and completed the remaining cognitive tasks. Findings suggested that narrative coherence was the strongest predictor of how intensely one relived the original memory, and it was followed by explicit memory and then, search and retrieval. Moreover, belief ratings were solely predicted by explicit memory. Last, retrieval accuracy was explained by a general tendency to reexperience the same emotions with the same intensity. Nonetheless, when considering event characteristics, reminiscing about the previous session independently predicted retrieved correct details above and beyond emotional intensity.