Autobiographical Memory in a Fire-Walking Ritual

Dimitris Xygalatas; Uffe Schjødt; Joseph Bulbulia; Ivana Konvalinka; Else-Marie Elmholdt Jegindø; Andreas Roepstorff; Paul  Reddish; Armin W. Geertz

doi:10.1163/15685373-12342081

Autobiographical Memory in a Fire-Walking Ritual

Dimitris Xygalatas, Uffe Schjødt, Joseph Bulbulia, Ivana Konvalinka, Else-Marie Elmholdt Jegindø, Andreas Roepstorff, Paul Reddish, Armin W. Geertz

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Abstract

Anthropological theories have discussed the effects of participation in high-arousal rituals in the formation of autobiographical memory, proposing that such events produce rich episodic memories. Precise measurements for such effects, however, are lacking. In this study, we examined episodic recall among participants in a highly arousing ﬁre-walking ritual. To assess arousal, we used heart rate measurements. To assess the dynamics of episodic memories, we obtained reports immediately after the fire-walk and two months later. We evaluated memory accuracy from video footage. Immediately after the event, participants’ reports revealed limited recall, low confidence, and high accuracy. Two months later we found more memories, higher confidence, and more errors. Whereas cognitive theories of ritual have predicted flashbulb memories for highly arousing rituals, we found that memories were strongly suppressed immediately after the event and only later evolved confidence and detail. The dissociation between subjective reports and objective measurements of arousal is consistent with a cognitive resource depletion model. We argue that expressive suppression may provide a link between individual memories and cultural understandings of high-arousal rituals.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Cognition and Culture
Volume	13
Issue	1-2
Pages (from-to)	1-16
Number of pages	16
ISSN	1567-7095
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1163/15685373-12342081
Publication status	Published - 2013

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title = "Autobiographical Memory in a Fire-Walking Ritual",

abstract = "Anthropological theories have discussed the effects of participation in high-arousal rituals in the formation of autobiographical memory, proposing that such events produce rich episodic memories. Precise measurements for such effects, however, are lacking. In this study, we examined episodic recall among participants in a highly arousing ﬁre-walking ritual. To assess arousal, we used heart rate measurements. To assess the dynamics of episodic memories, we obtained reports immediately after the fire-walk and two months later. We evaluated memory accuracy from video footage. Immediately after the event, participants{\textquoteright} reports revealed limited recall, low confidence, and high accuracy. Two months later we found more memories, higher confidence, and more errors. Whereas cognitive theories of ritual have predicted flashbulb memories for highly arousing rituals, we found that memories were strongly suppressed immediately after the event and only later evolved confidence and detail. The dissociation between subjective reports and objective measurements of arousal is consistent with a cognitive resource depletion model. We argue that expressive suppression may provide a link between individual memories and cultural understandings of high-arousal rituals.",

author = "Dimitris Xygalatas and Uffe Schj{\o}dt and Joseph Bulbulia and Ivana Konvalinka and Jegind{\o}, {Else-Marie Elmholdt} and Andreas Roepstorff and Paul Reddish and Geertz, {Armin W.}",

year = "2013",

doi = "10.1163/15685373-12342081",

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T1 - Autobiographical Memory in a Fire-Walking Ritual

AU - Xygalatas, Dimitris

AU - Schjødt, Uffe

AU - Bulbulia, Joseph

AU - Konvalinka, Ivana

AU - Jegindø, Else-Marie Elmholdt

AU - Roepstorff, Andreas

AU - Reddish, Paul

AU - Geertz, Armin W.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Anthropological theories have discussed the effects of participation in high-arousal rituals in the formation of autobiographical memory, proposing that such events produce rich episodic memories. Precise measurements for such effects, however, are lacking. In this study, we examined episodic recall among participants in a highly arousing ﬁre-walking ritual. To assess arousal, we used heart rate measurements. To assess the dynamics of episodic memories, we obtained reports immediately after the fire-walk and two months later. We evaluated memory accuracy from video footage. Immediately after the event, participants’ reports revealed limited recall, low confidence, and high accuracy. Two months later we found more memories, higher confidence, and more errors. Whereas cognitive theories of ritual have predicted flashbulb memories for highly arousing rituals, we found that memories were strongly suppressed immediately after the event and only later evolved confidence and detail. The dissociation between subjective reports and objective measurements of arousal is consistent with a cognitive resource depletion model. We argue that expressive suppression may provide a link between individual memories and cultural understandings of high-arousal rituals.

AB - Anthropological theories have discussed the effects of participation in high-arousal rituals in the formation of autobiographical memory, proposing that such events produce rich episodic memories. Precise measurements for such effects, however, are lacking. In this study, we examined episodic recall among participants in a highly arousing ﬁre-walking ritual. To assess arousal, we used heart rate measurements. To assess the dynamics of episodic memories, we obtained reports immediately after the fire-walk and two months later. We evaluated memory accuracy from video footage. Immediately after the event, participants’ reports revealed limited recall, low confidence, and high accuracy. Two months later we found more memories, higher confidence, and more errors. Whereas cognitive theories of ritual have predicted flashbulb memories for highly arousing rituals, we found that memories were strongly suppressed immediately after the event and only later evolved confidence and detail. The dissociation between subjective reports and objective measurements of arousal is consistent with a cognitive resource depletion model. We argue that expressive suppression may provide a link between individual memories and cultural understandings of high-arousal rituals.

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DO - 10.1163/15685373-12342081

M3 - Journal article

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SP - 1

EP - 16

JO - Journal of Cognition and Culture

JF - Journal of Cognition and Culture

IS - 1-2

ER -

Autobiographical Memory in a Fire-Walking Ritual

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