Relationship between characteristics of remembered events and worry of forgetting in autobiographical memories

Abstract

In this study, the prospect that people will forget life events they have experienced is referred to as “worry of forgetting,” which is considered to be associated with some intention and emotion. In Study 1, we developed the Worry of Forgetting Questionnaire and examined its reliability and validity.An exploratory factor analysis revealed that worry of forgetting consisted of a single factor. The validity of the scale was examined by correlations with the Thinking About Life Experiences Scale, the Autobiographical Reasoning Scale, and the Identity Scale. In Study 2, we investigated the relationship between worry of forgetting and characteristics of remembered events. Participants answered a questionnaire relating to characteristics of remembered autobiographical memories and worry of forgetting, in the context of events experienced during their time in high school. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that the more positive and important a participant’s recalled events, the stronger their demonstrated worry of forgetting. These and other results are discussed mainly in terms of autobiographical reasoning and, in particular, reflective thinking that connected past experiences to the self.