Involuntary Autobiographical Memories
An Introduction to the Unbidden Past

This study promotes a new interpretation of involuntary autobiographical memories, a phenomenon previously defined as a sign of distress or trauma.

Dorthe Berntsen (Author)

9780521866163, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 26 February 2009

242 pages
23.5 x 15.5 x 1.3 cm, 0.51 kg

'This book is much more than a research review and integration of findings. The writing is exceptionally lucid, the content scholarly without being ponderous … The exciting theoretical issues raised in this book will engage students, experienced researchers, and scholars who share a serious interest in the organization and functions of autobiographical memory. For readers who believe that psychology and related disciplines are enriched by a truly integrative and theory-driven approach, this book is an inspiration.' David B. Pillemer, Memory Studies

We often remember personal experiences without any conscious effort. A piece of music heard on the radio may stir a memory of a moment from the past. Such occurrences are known as involuntary autobiographical memories. They often occur in response to environmental stimuli or aspects of current thought. Until recently, they were treated almost exclusively as a clinical phenomenon, as a sign of distress or a mark of trauma. In this innovative work, however, Dorthe Berntsen argues that involuntary memories are predominantly positive and far more common than previously believed. She argues that they reflect a basic mode of remembering that predates the more advanced strategic retrieval mode, and that their primary function may simply be to prevent us from living in the present. Reviewing a variety of cognitive, clinical, and aesthetic approaches, this monograph will be of immense interest to anyone seeking to better understand this misunderstood phenomenon.

1. Introduction to the unbidden past
2. Theoretical backgrounds
3. Ways to study the unbidden past
4. How special are involuntary autobiographical memories?
5. How do they come to mind?
6. Differences between involuntary and voluntary autobiographical memories
7. Involuntary memories of traumatic events
8. Future and past.

Subject Areas: Memory [JMRM], Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR]