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Cognitive psychology of human memory (CogMemo thesaurus)

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Concept information

phenomenon > memory phenomenon > overgeneral memory bias

Preferred term

overgeneral memory bias  

Definition

  • ​A tendency to recall overgeneral autobiographical memories rather than specific memories observed, for example, in depressed patients.

Broader concept

Synonym(s)

  • overgenerality
  • overgeneral memory effect

Belongs to group

Bibliographic citation(s)

  • • Barry, T. J., Hallford, D. J., & Takano, K. (2021). Autobiographical memory impairments as a transdiagnostic feature of mental illness : A meta-analytic review of investigations into autobiographical memory specificity and overgenerality among people with psychiatric diagnoses. Psychological Bulletin, 47(10), 1054–1074. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000345

    • Document type: meta-analysis

    • Access: closed

    • Dataset reference: Barry, T. J., Hallford, D. J., & Takano, K. (2022, April 6). Autobiographical Memory Impairments as a Transdiagnostic Feature of Mental Illness. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3RJUZ

  • • Barry, T. J., Takano, K., Hallford, D. J., Roberts, J. E., Salmon, K., & Raes, F. (2023). Autobiographical memory and psychopathology: Is memory specificity as important as we make it seem? WIREs Cognitive Science, 14(3), e1624. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1624

    • Document type: literature review

    • Access: open

  • • ​Dalgleish, T., Williams, J. M. G., Golden, A.-M. J., Perkins, N., Barrett, L. F., Barnard, P. J., … Watkins, E. (2007). Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory and depression: The role of executive control. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.136.1.23

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: open

  • • Doan, U., Hong, D., Mares, L., Butler, M., Askelund, A. D., Gutenbrunner, C., Hiller, R., Nixon, R. D. V., Puetz, V., Jose, P. E., Metts, A., Alloy, L. B., Gibb, B. E., Hipwell, A. E., Salmon, K., Powell, V., Warne, N., Rice, F., & Hitchcock, C. (2025). The predictive power of autobiographical memory in shaping the mental health of young people : An individual participant data meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 151(4), 455‑475. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000474

    • Document type: meta-analysis

    • Access: closed

  • • Lemogne, C., Piolino, P., Jouvent, R., Allilaire, J.-F., & Fossati, P. (2006). Mémoire autobiographique épisodique et dépression: Episodic autobiographical memory in depression: a review. L’Encéphale, 32(5), 781–788. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-7006(06)76231-5

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Weiss-Cowie, S., Verhaeghen, P., & Duarte, A. (2023). An updated account of overgeneral autobiographical memory in depression. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 149, 105157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105157

    • Document type: meta-analysis

    • Access: closed

  • • ​Williams, J. M. G., Barnhofer, T., Crane, C., Herman, D., Raes, F., Watkins, E., & Dalgleish, T. (2007). Autobiographical memory specificity and emotional disorder. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 122-148. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.122

    • Document type: literature review

    • Access: open

Creator

  • Frank Arnould

Has study method(s)

In other languages

URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/P66-KZ9HB46B-X

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