Award Date

5-15-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Committee Member

David Copeland

Second Committee Member

Kris Gunawan

Third Committee Member

Paul Nelson

Fourth Committee Member

Emily Troshynski

Number of Pages

105

Abstract

This dissertation focused on the characteristics and flexibility of autobiographical memories within the life story, based on Conway and Pleydell-Pearce’s (2000) self-memory system and McAdams’s (2001) narrative identity theory. In two experiments, the research examined how retrieval goals and hierarchical organization influence the recall of different autobiographical memories (i.e., specific events that occur within one day, and chapters that are longer) and the flexibility of the temporal boundaries and duration of these memories. In Experiment 1, task instructions about recalling life story memories were manipulated to examine whether subtle shifts in retrieval goals influenced the type of memories recalled. Experiment 2 investigated whether the temporal boundaries of life story memories could be manipulated. Across both experiments, life story recall demonstrated a consistent top-down organizational bias, with chapters being more accessible than specific events. Retrieval goals influenced recall primarily when they aligned with this hierarchical structure, which also constrained temporal boundary flexibility. Changes in subjective memory characteristics further suggested that temporal modification influences how memories relate to the conceptual self. Together, these findings indicate that autobiographical memory is flexible, but that flexibility operates within stable organizational constraints that prioritize coherence and identity relevance. Overall, this dissertation provides empirical support for key assumptions of the self-memory system and narrative identity framework and clarifies how the hierarchical organization of autobiographical memory constrains goal-directed retrieval and temporal flexibility.

Keywords

Autobiographical Memory; Life Story; Narrative Identity; Self-memory System

Disciplines

Cognitive Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

File Format

PDF

File Size

1768 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Download


Share

COinS