Self-reported sensibility to bodily signals predicts individual differences in autobiographical memory

An exploratory study

Bibliographic Data

ID21602452
AuthorsAlessandro Messina (0000-0002-1745-2711, University of Pavia, corresponding author), Dorthe Berntsen (0000-0001-5941-314X, Aarhus University)
Year2024
Volume32
Issue8
Pages996-1011
Publication date2024-09-13
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMemory (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0965-8211 • E-ISSN: 1464-0686
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09658211.2024.2373891
PMID38990765
OpenAlexW4400531186
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited112

Recent theoretical perspectives have advanced that autobiographical memory processes are supported by interoception, the perception of internal bodily sensations. Yet, this relationship remains largely underexplored. The present study addressed this critical gap in the literature by systematically investigating the association between self-reported Interoceptive Sensibility and various individual differences measures of autobiographical memory. In Study 1, using a correlational approach in a large sample of participants (N = 247), we identified significant correlations between standardised measures of interoception and the general experience of autobiographical memory and the frequency of involuntary mental time travel. These associations remained significant even after controlling for potential confounding factors in terms of age, gender, and trait affectivity, underscoring their robustness. Study 2 replicated and extended the associations identified in Study 1 in another large participant sample (N = 257), further validating them by accounting for the potential confounding effect of well-being. Our findings demonstrate that individuals’ ability to perceive and understand bodily signals robustly relates to how they experience autobiographical memories. By adopting an exploratory approach based on individual differences, our results provide novel and concrete insights into the association between interoception and autobiographical memory, providing a strong foundation for future investigations into the causal mechanisms connecting these two constructs

Autobiographical memory · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Episodic memory · Recall · Sensibility · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Memory Processes and Influences · Neuroscience · Neuroscience, Education and Cognitive Function · Psychology

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