Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory as Reminiscence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69802/3fwezr19Keywords:
highly superior autobiographical memory, reminiscence, case studiesAbstract
Highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM) is observed in people who have the ability to recall memories for personal history for most or all the days of their adult lives. The events recalled are often organized around dates and can include events the person experienced personally or news events to which the person devoted attention. This paper summarizes research based on case studies and on comparisons of samples with and without HSAM. The paper outlines the defining features of both HSAM and reminiscence and provides a comparison of the two constructs. Overall, the paper concludes that, qualitatively, persons with HSAM have the same experience of reminiscence as persons without HSAM, but that, quantitatively, the number of autobiographical memories to which they have access is astonishingly greater, which carries both positive and negative possible consequences.
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