Motivational influence on the quality of memories: recall of general autobiographical memories related to desired attributes

Abstract

Abstract This article concerns recall of general autobiographical memories in motivated self‐perception. General memories, comprising abstraction of repeated or similar behaviours, have more impact on how one defines oneself than do specific memories. In a study, participants were first induced to believe that either extraversion or introversion leads to success. In the recall task that followed, introversion‐success participants recalled more general memories related to introversion than did extraversion‐success participants. In contrast, extraversion‐success participants recalled more general extraverted memories than did introversion‐success participants. Thus, to preserve a positive self‐image as characterized by desirable attributes, recall may be directed towards generation of general memories related to the attributes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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