Not “WEIRD” but Truly Different: Cultural Life Scripts and Autobiographical Memory in Indigenous Australia

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the structure of cultural life scripts (CLS) and autobiographical memories in a group of 13 non-WEIRD (Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic) Nunggubuyu from Australia. Participants provided a CLS and reported the events’ expected timing and valence; and their seven most important memories, the age at the events and their valence. The CLS and important memories consisted mainly of positive events happening in early youth, but there was also a notable bump with positive events later in life. Results provide evidence for the important role of grandmothers in the Nunggubuyu culture, as both in the CLSs and in autobiographical memories, many events related to learning about Nunggubuyu culture as a child, and grandmothers teaching the community and especially children. Importantly, the results highlight that societal and cultural structures that differ from those in WEIRD communities may result in differences in CLS and in autobiographical memory recall.

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