Autobiographical memory is increasingly understood as a constructive process governed by goal-directed neural mechanisms rather than as a passive retrieval of historically accurate content. In this article, I propose that memory serves an adaptive, identity-regulating function by maintaining the coherence of the self-model. Drawing on evidence from systems neuroscience, I argue that memory retrieval and reconsolidation are modulated by top-down control processes that prioritize internal consistency over factual accuracy.
Specifically, I examine the role of the default mode network (DMN) — particularly the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) — in the selective retrieval of experiences aligned with current self-conceptual structures. I further discuss the hippocampus–prefrontal cortex interaction as a mechanism for emphasizing congruent details while suppressing contradictory information. This filtering is often mediated by schema-based frameworks that facilitate the encoding and reassembly of memory traces according to present needs and motivational states. Evidence from reconsolidation studies demonstrates the neuroplastic instability of recalled memories, enabling their restructuring to serve current psychological needs.
I conclude that memory is less a system for veridical preservation than a neurocognitive instrument for internal stabilization. Its selective architecture supports the coherence of self through strategic reconstruction, with implications for our understanding of autobiographical memory, affective disorders, and the neural substrates of identity stability.
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