DEBRIEFING INFORMATION

Title: Individual Differences in Autobiographical Memory Functioning in a low-and high Autistic-

like trait sample.
Name of Researcher: David A. Bycroft

Background and Research Question:

Autobiographical memory (AM) is essentially a system that draws upon multiple brain
processes to allow us to recollect both episodic memory - the memory of autobiographical
events (times, places, associated emotions and other contextual information, and sematic
memory which processes ideas and concepts (factual information) such as things that are
common knowledge (e.g., names of colours, the capitals of countries) (Esopenko, & Levine,
2017).
Bluck and Alea (2002) proposed that autobiographical served three functions – self (to provide
us with a sense of self), directive (planning for present and future behaviors by employing past
experiences) and social (to be able to develop and maintain relationships).
Extensive research on AM has primarily focused on studying its structure and processes, yet,
there appears to be little research examining its functional use (Grace, Dewhurst, & Anderson,
2015). Interestingly, research exploring the functional use of AM in autism has yet to be
explored. Recent research however, has found an overall deficit in the processes within the
AM of autism (Crane, Lind, & Bowler, 2013). This raises an interesting question, does an already
existing impairment in AM mean that its functional use is similarly affected?

Anticipated findings:
We expect that the autobiographical memories of individuals who demonstrate high autistic-
like traits will not function in the same way as people who demonstrate low levels of traits. We
expect there to be a significant difference in their abilities to serve the social and self-function
within autobiographical memory.

Further information:
If you wish to take a copy of the information and debrief to reread later you can use the links
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Debrief sheet: www.downloadlinkwillbehere.com/debrief.doc
If you have complaints, concerns, or questions about this research, please feel free to contact,
Dr. Rachel Anderson at Rachel.anderson@hull.ac.uk