Cultural Differences in Autobiographical Memory Retrieval: A Case Study for Greece

Both individual and cultural factors play an important role in the retrieval of autobiographical memories. Different emotional regulation mechanisms, for instance, have an impact on the quantity and quality of memories that can be retrieved; these memories can be more general or more specific (detailed vs. overgeneral memories). Giving vague, generic stories helps control negative feelings by acting as an avoidance tactic. According to some research, compared to Western countries (the United States, Northern Europe), which demonstrate detailed episodic memories in keeping with the collectivism-individualism dichotomy, Eastern countries (China) tend to exhibit hypergeneric memories. This paper investigates the cultural distinctions between Greece and other nations through an analysis of personal narratives using word-cue retrieval. This study will examine 20 autobiographical memory interviews, with the purpose of assessing their emotional valence at the time of coding the event and at the time of the memory retrieval. The participants also filled out a number of questionnaires designed to assess individual differences in autobiographical memory (Autobiographical Recollection Test; ART), affective state (PANAS; Self-Assessment Manikin pre-post-interviews); and the tendency toward individualism versus collectivism (Symbolic self-inflation test). Individual differences in affective regulation mechanisms play a major role in the predisposition of detailed episodic memories instead of hypergeneric ones. This study will examine the relationship between cultural and individual factors.