Autobiographical Memory
Course Description
Summary
What do we remember about our lives, and how do these memories contribute to our sense of self? This course will begin with an introduction to the scientific study of human memory to better understand how autobiographical memory brings episodic, semantic, and other types of memory together. We will then explore what autobiographical memory has revealed about the development of memory in childhood at brain and behavioral levels. Cross-cultural research has substantially reshaped the scientific understanding of autobiographical memory, and we will focus particularly on groundbreaking studies from New Zealand, China, India, and Turkiye. In the final portion of the course, we will look at the psychological and sociolinguistic functions of reminiscence, including how music from different eras contributes to individual identity and ways that therapists foster changes in clients’ narratives.
Learning Outcomes
- Through course readings, discussions, activities, and presentations, you will build:
>your knowledge of the scientific study of human memory and how it contributes to identity,
>your awareness of the role of culture in memory development,
>your familiarity with multiple subfields of psychology (cognitive, developmental, biological, and clinical), and
>your understanding of the methods used to advance knowledge in those subfields. - Doing the work of this course will also develop these skills:
>reading research and review articles,
>participating in and sometimes leading class discussions, and
>expressing your knowledge orally and in writing.