Cultural Pathways and Outcomes of Autobiographical Memory Development

Abstract

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.