On the retrieval of earliest memories

Abstract

Earliest memories were examined with respect to recollection type (i.e., remember-know), retrieval type (i.e., direct-generative), retrieval speed, and memory fluency (i.e., phonemic, semantic, and autobiographical). A total of 137 young adults (94 females; Mage = 20.47, SDage = 1.57) reported their earliest memories and specified their recollection and retrieval types for reported memories. They further dated their recollections by reporting the age at event, rated event characteristics and completed the phonemic, semantic, and autobiographical memory fluency tasks. Remembered and known earliest memories were similar in retrieval speed, but remembered memories were more prevalent. For retrieval type, direct and generative retrieval were similar in prevalence, but direct retrieval was faster in recalling the earliest memories. Directly retrieved memories were dated earlier than generated ones, but no such pattern in dating was observed for remember-know distinction. In terms of memory fluency, none of the three fluency tasks predicted the retrieval speed, recollection and retrieval type. For event characteristics, significant differences were observed only for vividness and rehearsal for both retrieval and recollection type. The present study is the first to explore recollection and retrieval type, retrieval speed, memory fluency together with dating and event characteristics in the context of earliest memories.