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1 results

  • 21 - Narrative and Identity

  • from Part III - Aging in a Socioemotional Context
  • Edited by Ayanna K. Thomas, Tufts University, Massachusetts, Angela Gutchess, Brandeis University, Massachusetts
  • Book:
    The Cambridge Handbook of Cognitive Aging
    Published online:
    28 May 2020
    Print publication:
    28 May 2020, pp 383-399

  • Summary

    The personal past is a critical aspect of identity in adulthood, especially in the later phases of life. This chapter reviews theories and empirical evidence on how personal memories are reconstructed over time in life stories. It starts with a historical overview, next describes the functional approach that focuses on why people remember, continues with the self-memory system that provides insight in how specific memories are related to the self-concept, and finally adds a narrative perspective on how people attribute meaning to their past. The chapter takes a life-span developmental approach with a particular focus on later life. It is concluded that the construction of meaning in personal stories about the past is a ubiquitous and adaptive process. Processes of evaluation and reinterpretation of personal memories enable people to maintain a sense of self and share with others the biographical story of how their unique life has unfolded.