Does pattern separation correlate with autobiographical memory specificity?

We proposed a novel coding schema for general categoric memory.

Pattern separation was positively associated with specific memories.

It was also negatively associated with categoric memories lacking temporal context.

Pattern separation was not associated with semanticized categoric memories.

Autobiographical memory specificity (AMS) refers to the tendency to recall events that occurred at a particular time and place. We examined the hypothesis that AMS is associated with pattern separation, which is an essential component of episodic memory that may allow us to encode and retain the unique aspects of events. In Study 1 (N = 94) and Study 2 (preregistered; N = 99), participants completed the Autobiographical Memory Test, which measures AMS, and the Mnemonic Similarity Task measuring pattern separation. We coded Autobiographical Memory Test responses conventionally and then further classified the categoric memory responses (i) that contained words indicating repetitions or regularity (e.g., always, often) and (ii) did not contain these words. The pattern separation ability correlated positively with specific memories and correlated negatively with categoric memories lacking those words. We propose to distinguish these two types of categoric memory and discuss the integrative model of autobiographical memory structure.

Mnemonic similarity task

Autobiographical memory specificity

Overgeneral memory

Hippocampus

Pattern separation

All data are available from OSF (https://osf.io/t3jr6/).

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