These analyses indicated that change in goal specificity was significantly correlated with change in autobiographical memory specificity both for the sample as a whole, r (26) = .55, P < .01, and for participants allocated to MBCT, r (13) = .67, P < .05, although not for those allocated to the waitlist arm of the trial, r (13) = .16, P > .50.50
Consistent with the idea of a broader increase in concreteness of thinking produced by MBCT increases in goal specificity and increases in autobiographical memory specificity were moderately correlated for the sample as a whole and for those allocated to MBCT.
Xu, W. & Südhof, T. C. A neural circuit for memory specificity and generalization.
However, the focus of the current study was on the priming of a mode of information processing (whether analytical or experiential), the capacity to do this in different participant groups and the down-stream consequences of this for memory specificity, rather than on the effects of the particular content to be processed within this mode.
Finally one participant did not provide complete autobiographical memory data, so 26 participants were available for analyses involving autobiographical memory specificity.
There is clear evidence of low memory specificity in currently depressed patients, but the findings for recovered patients with a history of depression are more mixed.
For example, studies that test memory specificity immediately after a detailed clinical interview or in the hospital where the individual received treatment for depression may be more likely to reinstate rumination and reduce memory specificity than studies that do not include these elements.
This measure was used to improve sensitivity to changes in the level of memory specificity, but we also report (in footnote 3) comparable results for analyses based on number of specific memories retrieved.
Effects of emotion on memory specificity in young and older adults.
Effects of task instruction on autobiographical memory specificity in young and older adults.
