Autobiographical Memory Specificity for Religious and Nonreligious Cues

A Comparison between Atheists, Christians, and Religiously Uncommitted People in Sweden

Authors

  • Nathalie Hallin Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University
  • Paola Törnaeus Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University
  • Wadad Mahmud Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University
  • Gerhard Andersson Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section, Karolinska Institutet

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jcsr.40903

Keywords:

autobiographical memory, religion, memory specificity, culture

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate religious autobiographical memories by having self-reported atheist, Christian, and religiously uncommitted Swedes perform the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) with added religious word blocks. The specific aims are to investigate (1) possible group differences in memory specificity, (2) whether positive or negative cue words evoked a larger number of specific memories, and (3) whether participants produced a larger number of specific memories in response to religious or nonreligious cue words. Sisty participants were included, with twenty in each group (atheists, uncommitted, and Christians). No group differences in memory specificity were found. However, positive and nonreligious cue words were associated with a larger number of specific memories. The possibility of using AMT to study cultural differences is discussed.

Author Biographies

  • Nathalie Hallin, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University

    PhD student, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL), Linköping University

  • Paola Törnaeus, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University

    M.Sc.

  • Wadad Mahmud, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University

    M.Sc.

  • Gerhard Andersson, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section, Karolinska Institutet

    Professor in Psychology, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL), Linköping University

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Published

2020-12-31

How to Cite

Hallin, N., Törnaeus, P., Mahmud, W., & Andersson, G. (2020). Autobiographical Memory Specificity for Religious and Nonreligious Cues: A Comparison between Atheists, Christians, and Religiously Uncommitted People in Sweden. Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion, 5(2), 224–237. https://doi.org/10.1558/jcsr.40903