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A tale of three functions: The self-reported uses of autobiographical memory

Publication ,  Journal Article
Bluck, S; Alea, N; Habermas, T; Rubin, DC
February 1, 2005

Theories hold that autobiographical memory serves several broad functions (directive, self, and social). In the current study, items were derived from the theoretical literature to create the Thinking About Life Experiences (TALE) questionnaire to empirically assess these three functions. Participants (N = 167) completed the TALE. To examine convergent validity, they also rated their overall tendency to think about and to talk about the past and completed the Reminiscence Functions Scale (Webster, 1997). The results lend support to the existence of these theoretical functions, but also offer room for refinements in future thinking about both the breadth and specificity of the functions that autobiographical memory serves.

Duke Scholars

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DOI

Publication Date

February 1, 2005

Publisher

Guilford Publications

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • Political Science & Public Administration
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 4408 Political science
  • 2202 History and Philosophy of Specific Fields
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1606 Political Science
 

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Bluck, S., Alea, N., Habermas, T., & Rubin, D. C. (2005). A tale of three functions: The self-reported uses of autobiographical memory. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.23.1.91.59198
Bluck, S., N. Alea, T. Habermas, and D. C. Rubin. “A tale of three functions: The self-reported uses of autobiographical memory,” February 1, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.23.1.91.59198.
Bluck S, Alea N, Habermas T, Rubin DC. A tale of three functions: The self-reported uses of autobiographical memory. 2005 Feb 1;
Bluck, S., et al. A tale of three functions: The self-reported uses of autobiographical memory. Guilford Publications, Feb. 2005. Dspace, doi:10.1521/soco.23.1.91.59198.
Bluck S, Alea N, Habermas T, Rubin DC. A tale of three functions: The self-reported uses of autobiographical memory. Guilford Publications; 2005 Feb 1;

DOI

Publication Date

February 1, 2005

Publisher

Guilford Publications

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • Political Science & Public Administration
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 4408 Political science
  • 2202 History and Philosophy of Specific Fields
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1606 Political Science