Autobiographical Memory Lab

The autobiographical memory lab studies the relationship between memory of personal experiences and psychological wellbeing, with a particular focus on youth.

Kia ora!

Welcome to the autobiographical memory lab website.

Autobiographical memory is memory of our personal experiences. These kinds of memories play important roles in our lives, including shaping a sense of who we are across time, guiding our decisions, as well as helping us to build relationships with other people by sharing our experiences with them.

We are a team of researchers and clinicians who investigate the relationship between youth/rangatahi psychological wellbeing and the way they describe their experiences. To do this we look at several memory qualities, for instance what and how a person remembers, the meaning they make from their experience, and what it means for who they are.

This research is important because this lab’s work, and that of other researchers, has shown that how youth/rangatahi describe their experiences can help predict their psychological wellbeing across time.

Our research contributes to effective ways of preventing and treating youth/rangatahi psychological difficulties.

If you would like to know more, collaborate on projects, or are interested in post-graduate research, please contact Professor Karen Salmon.

2022–2025 Research Project: Youth/Rangatahi Reports of Life Experiences and their Psychological Wellbeing

Under the funding of the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Marsden Fund, we are currently conducting a 3-year study that looks at how youth/rangatahi recall important life experiences and their psychological wellbeing.

We are collaborating with Professor Paul Jose on this project, as well as with Professor Elaine Reece from Otago University and Professor Richard Bryant from University of New South Wales Sydney.

Watch this space for more information.

If you would like to know more about this study and/or have your school participate, please contact Professor Karen Salmon.