The content of nostalgic memories among people living with dementia
The content of nostalgic memories among people living with dementia
Although dementia may affect the reliability of autobiographical memories, the psychological properties of nostalgic memories may be preserved. We compared the content of nostalgic (n = 36) and ordinary (n = 31) narratives of 67 participants living with dementia. Narratives were rated according to their self-oriented, social, and existential properties, as well as their affective content. Social properties and affective content were assessed using a linguistic word count procedure. Compared to the ordinary narratives described in the control condition, nostalgic narratives described atypical events, expressed more positive affect, and had more expressions of self-esteem and self-continuity. They were also rated higher on companionship, connectedness and the closeness of relationships, and reflected life as being meaningful. Despite their cognitive impairment, people living with dementia experience nostalgia in similar ways to cognitively healthy adults, with their nostalgic narratives containing self-oriented, social, and existential properties.
Alzheimer’s disease, autobiographical memory, meaning in life, self-continuity, social connectedness, self-esteem
Ismail, Sanda
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Dodd, Emily
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Christopher, Gary
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Wildschut, Tim
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Sedikides, Constantine
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Cheston, Richard
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Ismail, Sanda
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Dodd, Emily
f63837af-f809-412a-a685-2303cca7aab5
Christopher, Gary
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Wildschut, Tim
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Sedikides, Constantine
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Cheston, Richard
71c9960f-c969-42a9-985e-0a56fae45778
Ismail, Sanda, Dodd, Emily, Christopher, Gary, Wildschut, Tim, Sedikides, Constantine and Cheston, Richard
(2021)
The content of nostalgic memories among people living with dementia.
The International Journal of Aging and Human Development.
(doi:10.1177/00914150211024185).
(In Press)
Abstract
Although dementia may affect the reliability of autobiographical memories, the psychological properties of nostalgic memories may be preserved. We compared the content of nostalgic (n = 36) and ordinary (n = 31) narratives of 67 participants living with dementia. Narratives were rated according to their self-oriented, social, and existential properties, as well as their affective content. Social properties and affective content were assessed using a linguistic word count procedure. Compared to the ordinary narratives described in the control condition, nostalgic narratives described atypical events, expressed more positive affect, and had more expressions of self-esteem and self-continuity. They were also rated higher on companionship, connectedness and the closeness of relationships, and reflected life as being meaningful. Despite their cognitive impairment, people living with dementia experience nostalgia in similar ways to cognitively healthy adults, with their nostalgic narratives containing self-oriented, social, and existential properties.
Text
00914150211024185
- Version of Record
Text
Ismail et al., 2021, IJAHD
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 7 May 2021
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, autobiographical memory, meaning in life, self-continuity, social connectedness, self-esteem
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Local EPrints ID: 449588
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/449588
ISSN: 0091-4150
PURE UUID: 2ca7bafd-b4b9-4307-8baf-a95a2a885ef3
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Date deposited: 08 Jun 2021 16:32
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:53
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Contributors
Author:
Sanda Ismail
Author:
Emily Dodd
Author:
Gary Christopher
Author:
Richard Cheston
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