Forks in the road: Memories of turning points and transitions

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Abstract
  • Turning points and transitions are both life events marked by significant change. Whereas turning points are personal changes in life direction, transitions are external changes in daily circumstances. Transition-linked turning points are events that fit both of these definitions. Although transitions and turning points have been examined separately, the current study is the first empirical comparison of these types of events and their overlap. Differences in the characteristics of adults' autobiographical memories of turning points, transitions, and transition-linked turning points were compared using a within-subjects design. Memories of transition-linked turning points and turning points were more central to participants' life stories than transitions, whereas memories of transitions had more similarities in content, particularly location, with related memories. These results suggest that transitions organize autobiographical memory whereas turning points anchor the life story.
TitleForks in the road: Memories of turning points and transitions
CreatorEnz, K. F.
Talarico, Jennifer M.
PublisherApplied Cognitive Psychology
Academic DepartmentPsychology
DivisionNatural Sciences
OrganizationLafayette College
Date Issued2016
Date Available2020-03-25
TypeArticle
LanguageEnglish
Bibliographic CitationEnz, K. F. and J. M. Talarico (2016) "Forks in the road: Memories of turning points and transitions." Applied Cognitive Psychology 30 (2): 188-195.
Standard IdentifierHandle 10385/00000047w
DOI 10.1002/acp.3176
Permalinkhttp://hdl.handle.net/10385/00000047w
Rights Statement In Copyright In Copyright
Rights HoldersJohn Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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File Talarico-AppliedCognitivePsychology-vol30-2016.pdf Uploaded 2020-03-25 Public Download