SOMETHING GOOD, SOMETHING BAD, SOMETHING DRASTIC: PERSONAL AND VICARIOUS HIGH POINT, LOW POINT AND TURNING POINT MEMORIES OF YOUNG COUPLES

Date

2024-9-27

Author

İlgün, Serhan Yağmur

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The current dissertation aimed to investigate similarities and differences between personal and vicarious high point, low point, and turning point memories of romantic couples. In Study 1 (N = 64, Mage = 28.15, SD = 5.76), thematic similarities across personal and vicarious life story narratives were examined. Findings revealed that themes in personal life story narratives were parallel to vicarious life story narratives. Study 2 (N = 314, Mage = 25.61, SD = 4.33) and Study 3 (N = 238, Mage = 21.11, SD =1.06) investigated the similarities and differences between personal and vicarious life stories of romantic couples in terms of narrative coherence, phenomenological characteristics, and functions of autobiographical memory. The role of gender in these memory characteristics and the reasons for sharing vicarious memories were also examined. Findings of these studies revealed that narrative coherence, phenomenological characteristics, and functions of autobiographical memory in personal narratives were positively associated with their vicarious counterparts. However, personal narratives were more coherent and rated higher on phenomenology and functions of autobiographical memory. In addition, gender differences in narrative coherence in personal and vicarious life stories were found. Women participants provided more coherent narratives compared to men. Overall, the findings indicated that how we remember our personal past is closely linked to how we remember vicarious memories of significant others, particularly for romantic partners.

Subject Keywords

Life story; narrative coherence; phenomenological characteristics; functions of autobiographical memory; gender differences

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/111355

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis