Selective forgetting of self-threatening statements: mnemic neglect for dementia information in people with mild dementia
Selective forgetting of self-threatening statements: mnemic neglect for dementia information in people with mild dementia
Objective
We tested whether people with dementia manifest selective forgetting for self‐threatening information, the mnemic neglect effect (MNE). This selective forgetting is observed among healthy adults in the recall, but not the recognition, of self‐threatening feedback.
Methods
Sixty‐four statements about dementia were rated for their level of negativity by 280 staff and students at University of the West of England. The 12 statements rated as most negative and the 12 statements rated as least negative were then read to 62 people with dementia. Participants were randomized to 1 of 2 conditions with the statements referring either to self or to another person. High‐negativity and self‐referent statements had strong threat potential. Participants recalled the statements and then completed a recognition task, which consisted of the 24 previously read statements and 24 new statements.
Results
Participants manifested the MNE: They recalled fewer high‐negativity (compared with low‐negativity) statements, but only when these referred to the self rather than another person. This pattern occurred independently of levels of depression or anxiety. Participants also made more self‐protective intrusion errors when the statements referred to the self than another person. Participants did not differ in their recognition of statements.
Conclusion
The MNE occurs among people with dementia. The selective forgetting of highly negative, self‐referent statements serves to protect the self against the threat that dementia represents. Given the similarities between the MNE and the clinical phenomenon of repression, the findings may mark psychological processes that are implicated in the acceptance (or lack thereof) of a dementia diagnosis.
1065-1073
Cheston, R.
fe57d85e-9c08-4d09-93a9-ea50299b62b9
Dodd, E.
1a3cb8aa-a065-4b25-83b1-ceccb222c9a0
Christopher, G.
68060ed7-035f-455f-9040-df905d510d4c
Jones, C.
690989c8-463a-4c93-8716-f052efdfc8f6
Wildschut, T.
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Sedikides, C.
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
August 2018
Cheston, R.
fe57d85e-9c08-4d09-93a9-ea50299b62b9
Dodd, E.
1a3cb8aa-a065-4b25-83b1-ceccb222c9a0
Christopher, G.
68060ed7-035f-455f-9040-df905d510d4c
Jones, C.
690989c8-463a-4c93-8716-f052efdfc8f6
Wildschut, T.
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Sedikides, C.
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Cheston, R., Dodd, E., Christopher, G., Jones, C., Wildschut, T. and Sedikides, C.
(2018)
Selective forgetting of self-threatening statements: mnemic neglect for dementia information in people with mild dementia.
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33 (8), .
(doi:10.1002/gps.4894).
Abstract
Objective
We tested whether people with dementia manifest selective forgetting for self‐threatening information, the mnemic neglect effect (MNE). This selective forgetting is observed among healthy adults in the recall, but not the recognition, of self‐threatening feedback.
Methods
Sixty‐four statements about dementia were rated for their level of negativity by 280 staff and students at University of the West of England. The 12 statements rated as most negative and the 12 statements rated as least negative were then read to 62 people with dementia. Participants were randomized to 1 of 2 conditions with the statements referring either to self or to another person. High‐negativity and self‐referent statements had strong threat potential. Participants recalled the statements and then completed a recognition task, which consisted of the 24 previously read statements and 24 new statements.
Results
Participants manifested the MNE: They recalled fewer high‐negativity (compared with low‐negativity) statements, but only when these referred to the self rather than another person. This pattern occurred independently of levels of depression or anxiety. Participants also made more self‐protective intrusion errors when the statements referred to the self than another person. Participants did not differ in their recognition of statements.
Conclusion
The MNE occurs among people with dementia. The selective forgetting of highly negative, self‐referent statements serves to protect the self against the threat that dementia represents. Given the similarities between the MNE and the clinical phenomenon of repression, the findings may mark psychological processes that are implicated in the acceptance (or lack thereof) of a dementia diagnosis.
Text
Cheston et al., 2018, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
Cheston_et_al-2018-International_Journal_of_Geriatric_Psychiatry
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 3 April 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 24 May 2018
Published date: August 2018
Additional Information:
Key Points:
•The Mnemic Neglect Effect (MNE) involves selective forgetting of information that threatens the self. The MNE occurs among healthy adults, but it is unknown whether it occurs among people with dementia.
•Sixty-two people diagnosed with mild dementia recalled 24 dementia-related statements. We experimentally varied whether the statements (1) referred to the self or another person, and (2) were high or low in negativity.
•Participants manifested the MNE: they recalled fewer high-negativity statements when these statements referred to the self than another person. Recall of low-negativity statements was not affected by whether these statements referred to the self or another person.
•The MNE occurs for people who are living with dementia. Selective forgetting of highly negative and self-referent (dementia-related) information serves to protect the self against threat.
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 420274
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/420274
ISSN: 0885-6230
PURE UUID: 98838cc0-eee1-4e96-a7b9-2f0c1f397934
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Date deposited: 03 May 2018 16:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 06:32
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Contributors
Author:
R. Cheston
Author:
E. Dodd
Author:
G. Christopher
Author:
C. Jones
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