McLean Kate C, Lilgendahl Jennifer Pals
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Memory. 2008 Oct;16(7):751-62. doi: 10.1080/09658210802215385.
This study examined whether positive and negative memories (life story high and low points) were differentially used for reminiscence functions concerning self and social aspects of reminiscing, and relations between function use and well-being in two age groups. Life story high and low points were collected from a sample of emerging (n =56) and older (n =55) adults, as well as a measure of the use of these memories for the self-functions of death preparation, identity, and problem solving, and the social functions of conversation and teach/inform, and a measure of psychological well-being. Memories were also coded for whether or not they contained a redemptive narrative structure (from emotionally negative to emotionally positive). Results showed that the endorsement of reminiscence functions did differ by memory type, with high points more often endorsed for the functions of identity, teach/inform, and conversation than low points. These main effects were qualified by memory type x age interactions. The use of these functions for each kind of memory was also related to well-being, but differentially for older and younger people, and redemptive sequencing was especially important to the well-being of the younger group. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of different emotional memories for self and well-being at different points in the lifespan.
本研究考察了积极和消极记忆（人生故事的高潮和低谷）在涉及回忆的自我和社会方面的回忆功能中是否被差异使用，以及两个年龄组中功能使用与幸福感之间的关系。从一组新兴成年人（n = 56）和老年人（n = 55）样本中收集了人生故事的高潮和低谷，以及这些记忆用于死亡准备、身份认同和问题解决等自我功能以及对话和教导/告知等社会功能的使用情况测量，还有一项心理健康测量。记忆还被编码为是否包含救赎叙事结构（从情感消极到情感积极）。结果表明，回忆功能的认可因记忆类型而异，高潮比低谷更常被认可用于身份认同功能、教导/告知功能和对话功能。这些主效应受到记忆类型×年龄交互作用的影响。每种记忆对这些功能的使用也与幸福感相关，但对老年人和年轻人的影响不同，救赎性排序对年轻组的幸福感尤为重要。研究结果根据不同情感记忆在生命不同阶段对自我和幸福感的重要性进行了讨论。
