If goal-related autobiographical memories contribute to directing current behavior, what happens when goals are on hold, as they were during the pandemic, and no goal-related memories are being formed? This study examined college students’ autobiographical memories of high school during the pandemic to predict regulation of academic behaviors and motivation in college. Participants retrieved and rated 4 autobiographical memories using the cue-word method and completed 3 scales measuring current classroom behavior, academic motivation and Covid-related stress during the pandemic. In one preliminary regression, only severity of past Covid-related stress marginally predicted current classroom behavior. In a second regression analysis, higher ratings of goal-relatedness for memories predicted lower academic motivation after controlling for past Covid-related stress. Further analyses will determine if this surprising result is explained by negative memories about goals that were thwarted by the pandemic and explore characteristics of memories related to the elusive directive function of autobiographical memory.

Recent research has shown that individuals can distinguish cues that facilitate their autobiographical retrieval (AM) retrieval from cues that do not in a short time frame (1 to 2 seconds). Such results reflect metacognitive abilities, the ability to monitor and control cognitive processes, and constitute a first step in studying metacognition in AM retrieval. Here, we investigated whether such metacognitive abilities are retained in healthy ageing. Participants performed a metacognitive task in which they had 2 seconds to categorise cue words as cues that would facilitate or not their AM retrieval. Later they generated memories in response to both types of cues. We found that older adults were as accurate as young adults at distinguishing cues that would allow fluent access to their AM from cues that would limit it. This suggests that older adults have a preserved metacognitive access to the earliest stages of AM retrieval.

Non-human studies demonstrated that spatial novelty boosts memory for unrelated information encountered shortly after a novel experience, but evidence in humans remains debated. To simulate novel environments, virtual reality (VR) has been used in multiple studies, but findings are inconclusive. To investigate, we conducted two studies. The first, with 55 participants, compared memory recall of word lists that were encoded at baseline, and after exploring a novel and a familiar spatial VR environment. While the novel environment had no significant positive impact on memory, we found that, compared to baseline, recall increased after VR use (regardless of environment novelty/familiarity). The second study, with 32 participants, compared memory recall for words encoded after VR exploration versus watching a nature documentary. Results revealed better recall after VR exploration. We discuss how VR, as a novel experience, but also as a tool folstering positive emotions, feeling of presence, and self-efficacy, may enhance memory.

This research explores the role of gestures in autobiographical memory. We propose that co-speech gestures support retrieval by activating existing episodic elements and allowing flexible integration of new ones into autobiographical recollections.
In the first study, participants (N = 41) narrated non-autobiographical, and past and future autobiographical events, then rated their phenomenological characteristics. Representational gestures were positively associated with episodic details, suggesting their role in maintaining spatial and sensory information. Gesture use was also correlated with the sense of reliving during retrieval.
In the second study, participants (N = 80) were assigned to two conditions (gesture-spontaneous, gesture-encouraged) and narrated past and future events. Narrative codings are ongoing and we expect higher gesture rate in the gesture-encouraged condition, leading to an enhanced recollection of autobiographical memories (i.e., higher episodicity) than in the gesture-spontaneous condition. The results will be discussed within the theoretical frameworks of the relationship between gesture and episodic memory.