Striving for a Consistent Life Story: Cognitive Reactions to Autobiographical Memories

Abstract

The theory of cognitive reactions to memories proposes that remembered life events influence feelings of well-being based on two factors: whether a remembered life event is consistent with beliefs about the lifetime period in which it occurred, and, if not, whether the cognitive reaction to the event memory restores consistency. Three experiments investigated the role of several types of reactions that theoretically would resolve inconsistency. Specifically, the experiments investigated providing justifications for the inconsistency, recruiting additional specific events that oppose those recalled and putting the event behind oneself (“closure”). As predicted, all three cognitive reactions moderated the relationship between inconsistent recall and well-being. Moreover, the role of cognitive reactions persisted when individual differences in well-being were accounted for. Relevance for theories of cognitive dissonance, self-verification, and adaptation are discussed.

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