This document discusses how social and cultural factors affect memory. It presents evidence that culture impacts the formation of early autobiographical memories, with individuals from more collectivistic cultures having earlier earliest memories compared to those from more individualistic cultures. The Social-Interaction Model of memory proposes that our memories develop through conversations with others, and the type of questions asked (high vs low elaborative) influences what children remember. Studies show children whose mothers asked more elaborative questions had better memory of events. Culture also influences memory reconstruction through schemas as shown by a study where white and black participants remembered a scene differently.

1. Cultural & Social Impacts
on Memory

2. Learning Outcome
 C8- Discuss how social or cultural factors affect one cognitive
process.
 Discuss: Offer a considered and balanced review that
includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses.
Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and
supported by appropriate evidence.

3. Warm-Up
What is your earliest memory?

4. Individualistic Cultures Collectivistic Cultures
Two Types of Cultures
 Cultures that stress the
needs of the individual over
the needs of the group.
 Individual Rights
 Independence
 Being dependent is seen as
a negative.
 Self-Reliant
 Generally “Western”
Cultures
 Cultures that stress the needs of
the group over the needs of the
individual.
 Social rules promoting unity.
 Work as a group is seen as a
positive
 Do what is best for society
 Families and communities are at
the center of lives.
 Generally “Non-Western”: Africa,
Latin America, Asia, Indigenous

5. Hayne et al (2000)
 Aim: To examine the cross-cultural difference in adults’ earliest
memories.
 Method: Interviewed adults from three cultural backgrounds
(New Zealand European Decent, Maori, and Asian) on their
earliest memories.
 Findings:
 Maori Earliest Memories: 32 Months
 Caucasian Earliest Memories: 42 Months
 Asian Earliest Memories: 57 Months
 Conclusions:
 Culture impacts the formation of early autobiographical memories.
 Critical Thinking?

6. The Social-Interaction Model for
Memory
 Developed by Katherine Nelson
 According to this model, our autobiographical memories don't
develop in a vacuum; instead, as children, we encode our
memories of events as we talk over those events with the
adults in our life. The more those adults encourage us to spin
an elaborate narrative tale, the more likely we are to
remember details about the event later.
 Individualistic cultures ask children to tell stories with open
ended and high-elaborative questions.
 Collectivistic cultures ask children to tell stories with low-
elaborative questions.

7. Leichtman et al (2000)
 Aim: To determine the role of questioning styles impact the
autobiographical memories of children.
 Method:
 Researchers observed conversations between mothers and children following
a surprise event at school (their teacher returning from maternity leave with
her new baby). The type of questions asked were recorded.
 Three weeks later, children were interviewed by a researcher who had not
been present during the original event and who had no information about the
content of the parent-child interviews.
 Findings: Children with mothers who asked High-Elaborative questions
remembered more information than children with low-elaborative
questions.
 Conclusions: The type of questions posed to children impact their
development of autobiographical memories.
 Critical Thinking
 Links to culture?

9. Allport and Postman (1947)
Aim: To determine how schemas impact the recall
of images.
Method:
 Showed the image of the men arguing to both white and
black participants
 Had white participants share their story with another white
individual, who then shared it again.
 Black participants did the same thing with black
participants.

10. Allport and Postman (1947)
Findings:
White: After a few retellings, the black man
became the aggressor.
Black: After a few retellings, they were generally
more accurate.
Conclusion: Schemas impact the
reconstruction of memories.
Critical Thinking?

11. Key Questions
 What model of memory best explains your earliest memory?
 What impact does your culture play have on your earliest
memory?
 To what extent do the models of memories interact with
culture in the creation of memories?
 What role would culture play on the Multi-Store Model of
Memory?
 What role does culture play in the Working Memory Model?