Overview
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My main research interest has been in long-term memory, especially for complex (or "real-world") stimuli. This work includes the study of autobiographical memory and oral traditions, as well as prose. I have also studied memory as it is more commonly done in experimental psychology laboratories using lists. In addition to this purely behavioral research, which I plan to continue, I work on memory in clinical populations with the aid of a National Institute of Mental Health grant to study PTSD and on the underlying neural basis of memory the aid of a National Institute of Aging grant to study autobiographical memory using fMRI.
My main research interest has been in long-term memory, especially for complex (or "real-world") stimuli. This work includes the study of autobiographical memory and oral traditions, as well as prose. I have also studied memory as it is more commonly done in experimental psychology laboratories using lists. In addition to this purely behavioral research, which I plan to continue, I work on memory in clinical populations with the aid of a National Institute of Mental Health grant to study PTSD and on the underlying neural basis of memory the aid of a National Institute of Aging grant to study autobiographical memory using fMRI.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Juanita M. Kreps Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
·
2008 - Present
Psychology & Neuroscience,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
·
2006 - Present
Psychology & Neuroscience,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
·
2011 - Present
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences,
University Institutes and Centers
Recent Scholarly Works
How autobiographical memory serves morality: Prevalence and properties of memories with moral content.
Journal article Journal of experimental psychology. General · August 2026 Morality is central to human nature. Being morally accountable requires an understanding of oneself as existing through time and space and an ability to remember past events. We present the first series of studies systematically examining the frequency and ... Full text Open Access CiteHow individual differences in autobiographical memory relate to morality
Journal article Personality and Individual Differences · July 1, 2026 Autobiographical memory supports several functions essential to daily life such as decision-making, social bonding, and personal identity. Surprisingly, the role of autobiographical memory for moral identity and moral commitments has scarcely been examined ... Full text CiteThe Properties of Involuntary and Voluntary Autobiographical Memories in Chinese Patients with Depression and Healthy Individuals
Journal article Cognitive Therapy and Research · December 1, 2025 Background: Research on depression has largely focused on negative intrusive memories with little research on general involuntary memories as they occur in everyday life. In addition, all studies have been conducted on Western participants, and there are n ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Training Autobiographical Memory Retrieval in Healthy Older Adults Using Novel Lifelogging Technology
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2023A Model of Autobiographical Memory & Its Changes in PTSD
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2002 - 2016Behavior And Physiology In Aging
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1999 - 2015View All Grants
Education
Harvard University ·
1974
Ph.D.