Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada.
Learn Mem. 2024 Apr 30;31(4). doi: 10.1101/lm.053993.124. Print 2024 Apr.
Much like recalling autobiographical memories, constructing imagined autobiographical events depends on episodic memory processes. The ability to imagine events contributes to several future-oriented behaviors (e.g., decision-making, problem solving), which relies, in part, on the ability to remember the imagined events. A factor affecting the memorability of such events is their adherence to event schemas-conceptualizations of how events generally unfold. In the current study, we examined how two aspects of event schemas-event expectancy and familiarity-affect the ability to recall imagined events. Participants first imagined and described in detail autobiographical events that either aligned with or deviated from an event, expected to occur in a context (e.g., a kitchen) that was either familiar or unfamiliar. This resulted in imaginations ranging from maximally schema-congruent (expected events in a familiar context) to maximally novel (unexpected events in an unfamiliar context). Twenty-four hours later, participants recalled these imagined events. Recollections were scored for the number of reinstated details from the imaginations and the number of newly added details. We found greater reinstatement of details for both the maximally congruent and maximally novel events, while maximally novel events were recalled more precisely than other events (i.e., fewer added details). Our results indicate a complementary benefit to remembering schematic and novel imagined events, which may guide equally important but distinct future-oriented behaviors.
就像回忆自传体记忆一样，构建想象中的自传体事件依赖于情景记忆过程。想象事件的能力有助于几种面向未来的行为（例如决策、解决问题），而这些行为在一定程度上依赖于记住想象事件的能力。影响此类事件可记性的一个因素是它们对事件图式的遵循——对事件通常如何展开的概念化。在当前的研究中，我们研究了事件图式的两个方面——事件预期和熟悉度如何影响想象事件的回忆能力。参与者首先想象并详细描述了与预期发生在熟悉或不熟悉环境（例如厨房）中的事件一致或不一致的自传体事件。这导致了从最大程度上符合图式（在熟悉的环境中发生的预期事件）到最大程度上新颖（在不熟悉的环境中发生的意外事件）的想象。二十四小时后，参与者回忆起这些想象中的事件。回忆的分数是根据想象中恢复的细节数量和新添加的细节数量来计算的。我们发现，对于最大程度上一致和最大程度上新颖的事件，恢复的细节更多，而最大程度上新颖的事件比其他事件（即，添加的细节更少）被回忆得更准确。我们的结果表明，记住图式化和新颖的想象事件有互补的好处，这可能会指导同样重要但不同的面向未来的行为。
