Examining frequently and rarely shared self-defining memories

Sharing autobiographical experiences with others is a common practice that serves as a crucial tool for understanding the significance of past events and deriving meaning from them. The act of telling experiences not only helps individuals reassess their emotional responses but also facilitates the integration of these events into their self. The present study specifically focuses on self-defining memories (SDMs), which are characterized by their self-relevance and importance. This study aims to comparatively examine frequently and rarely shared SDMs on meaning they involve, the functions (self, social, and directive) they fulfill, their centrality to one's identity, phenomenological characteristics (e.g., valence, importance) and content (e.g., relationship, achievement) attributed to them. Results revealed that rarely shared SDMs contained more meaning making compared to frequently shared ones and were emotionally more negative. Despite this, they served as reference points in individuals' life. Regarding memory content, frequently shared memories predominantly revolved around achievements and recreational events, whereas rarely shared memories exhibited greater content variability. Additionally, frequently shared SDMs predominantly served social functions and were shared within group settings.