Cultural Pathways and Outcomes of Autobiographical Memory Development

The development of autobiographical memory is a culturally constructive process in which children learn to remember and share their personal experiences in culture-specific ways. In this article, I present a theoretical model that situates children's independent recall and joint reminiscing with parents in the cultural context. Built on cross-cultural research, the model specifies various pathways-self-goals, language, emotion knowledge, and perceptual styles-through which culture shapes autobiographical memory development. The model also demonstrates the role of culture in moderating the psychosocial outcomes of remembering, so the content, form, and stance of memory serve functions specific to the cultural ecology. I conclude that the development of autobiographical memory occurs in response to children's diverse cultural experiences, and outline directions for research.

Automated summary

The development of autobiographical memory is a culturally constructive process where children learn to remember and share personal experiences in culture-specific ways. The theoretical model presented in the article explains how culture shapes autobiographical memory development through pathways such as self-goals, language, emotion knowledge, and perceptual styles. The model also highlights the role of culture in moderating the psychosocial outcomes of remembering, emphasizing that memory content, form, and stance serve functions specific to the cultural ecology.