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Involuntary Autobiographical Memories
Author(s) -
BERNTSEN DORTHE
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0720(199610)10:5<435::aid-acp408>3.0.co;2-l
Results from a diary study of involuntary memories are presented (14 subjects; 7 males, 7 females, average age 23 years). Virtually all of the recorded memories had identifiable cues. Memory access was biased towards (a) mood‐congruent (b) recent and (c) distinctive (unusual) events. The memories were most frequently rated as emotionally positive and prior rehearsal was rated low. Also, the memories were found to influence current mood consonant with the emotional valence of the memories. Stressful and repetitive involuntary recollections—as they are observed in clinical settings subsequent to traumatic events—may be viewed as a malignant effect of normal mechanisms of involuntary memories.