2018 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 15-26
The memories recollected from an individual's life are referred to as autobiographical memory. When people recollect one’s past, we undergo the process of autobiographical reasoning as well as recalling merely. That is the activity of creating relations between different parts of one's past, present, and future life and personality and development.
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the lasting impacts of organized camps on participants as they reached their adulthood through the viewpoint of autobiographical memory and autobiographical reasoning. The data were collected using a “Camp Memory Characteristics Questionnaire,” which was completed by 191 participants and analyzed using statistics. It was shown that memories of outdoor activities, such as “campfire,” “hiking or Solo,” “involvement with the camper,” “involvement with the camp counselor,” and “meaningful nature experience” were the most memorable events of camp in most of the respondents. Especially, the memories of “accomplishment,” such as “hiking or Solo” were recalled more frequently as well as more clearly, and they are valued as more important than the memories of other activities. In addition, the memories of camp remained in participants’ minds regardless of how much time has passed. By comparing and analyzing respondents' ages, these memories appear to have become more important as participants grew older. Furthermore, around 80% of respondents recognized the impacts of organized camp experiences. Participants also have attributed a variety of meaning to their camp experiences, and it was classified into 6 groups: “self,” “others,” “nature environment,” “outdoor activity,” “occupational choice,” and the other.
