History Research on OGM stemmed from the mood-memory research of the latter 20th century. Initial studies displayed an association between depression and a failure to remember positive events, with the explanation being that the depressed individual had an excess of negative memories. However, in 1986, J. Mark G. Williams and Keith Broadbent examined patterns of autobiographical memory in people who recently attempted suicide. When compared to a healthy control group, the suicidal group displayed a general memory, especially for positively valenced cues. This study contradicted past research by explaining that the bias to remember negative events is not due to an excess of negative memories, but is because of an overgeneral memory. Since this initial study, research on OGM has expanded and has been further implicated in the risk to and maintenance of depression and PTSD.Moore, S. A. Zoellner, L. A. (2007). Overgeneral autobiographical memory and traumatic events: an evaluative review. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 419–437.%DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% Measures The most common way to test for OGM is with the autobiographical memory test (AMT). A participant views cue cards with varying emotional cues (happy, sad, excited, scared, etc.) and is then asked to think of a specific memory in response to it. Most studies utilize the ten word paradigm on the cue cards, where five words are positive and five are negative, but some studies include neutral words (such as fashion or uncle), which increases the total number of cue words. After presentation of the cue word, participants are given 30 seconds to one minute, depending on the study, to come up with a specific memory. If unable to think of a specific memory, the participant is further prompted to think of one specific time or episode, often by the researcher using the phrase "can you think of a specific time—one particular occasion." Memories are considered specific if they occurred once, during a specific time. Responses are normally recorded and transcribed for later coding of overgeneral memories or specific memories.Hitchcock, C., Nixon, R. D. V., & Weber, N. (2013) A review of overgeneral memory in child psychopathology. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2013 Certain studies code based on the two types of overgeneral memories: categoric and extended memories. Categoric memories include events that occur repeatedly throughout one's life. An example of a categoric memory is "when I went to the store." An extended memory includes events that last more than a day. The memory "when I traveled abroad last year" would be an example of an extended memory. Not all studies differentiate between the two, however. Interventions References &   
Diagnosis %DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% The most common way to test for OGM is with the autobiographical memory test (AMT). A participant views cue cards with varying emotional cues (happy, sad, excited, scared, etc.) and is then asked to think of a specific memory in response to it. Most studies utilize the ten word paradigm on the cue cards, where five words are positive and five are negative, but some studies include neutral words (such as fashion or uncle), which increases the total number of cue words. After presentation of the cue word, participants are given 30 seconds to one minute, depending on the study, to come up with a specific memory. If unable to think of a specific memory, the participant is further prompted to think of one specific time or episode, often by the researcher using the phrase "can you think of a specific time—one particular occasion." Memories are considered specific if they occurred once, during a specific time. Responses are normally recorded and transcribed for later coding of overgeneral memories or specific memories.Hitchcock, C., Nixon, R. D. V., & Weber, N. (2013) A review of overgeneral memory in child psychopathology. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2013 Certain studies code based on the two types of overgeneral memories: categoric and extended memories. Categoric memories include events that occur repeatedly throughout one's life. An example of a categoric memory is "when I went to the store." An extended memory includes events that last more than a day. The memory "when I traveled abroad last year" would be an example of an extended memory. Not all studies differentiate between the two, however. Treatment History Research on OGM stemmed from the mood-memory research of the latter 20th century. Initial studies displayed an association between depression and a failure to remember positive events, with the explanation being that the depressed individual had an excess of negative memories. However, in 1986, J. Mark G. Williams and Keith Broadbent examined patterns of autobiographical memory in people who recently attempted suicide. When compared to a healthy control group, the suicidal group displayed a general memory, especially for positively valenced cues. This study contradicted past research by explaining that the bias to remember negative events is not due to an excess of negative memories, but is because of an overgeneral memory. Since this initial study, research on OGM has expanded and has been further implicated in the risk to and maintenance of depression and PTSD.Moore, S. A.& Zoellner, L. A. (2007). Overgeneral autobiographical memory and traumatic events: an evaluative review. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 419–437. References External links
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History
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Research on OGM stemmed from the mood-memory research of the latter 20th century. Initial studies displayed an association between depression and a failure to remember positive events, with the explanation being that the depressed individual had an excess of negative memories. However, in 1986, J. Mark G. Williams and Keith Broadbent examined patterns of autobiographical memory in people who recently attempted suicide. When compared to a healthy control group, the suicidal group displayed a general memory, especially for positively valenced cues. This study contradicted past research by explaining that the bias to remember negative events is not due to an excess of negative memories, but is because of an overgeneral memory. Since this initial study, research on OGM has expanded and has been further implicated in the risk to and maintenance of depression and PTSD.Moore, S. A.
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Zoellner, L. A. (2007). Overgeneral autobiographical memory and traumatic events: an evaluative review. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 419–437.
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Measures
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Interventions
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References
History
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Research on OGM stemmed from the mood-memory research of the latter 20th century. Initial studies displayed an association between depression and a failure to remember positive events, with the explanation being that the depressed individual had an excess of negative memories. However, in 1986, J. Mark G. Williams and Keith Broadbent examined patterns of autobiographical memory in people who recently attempted suicide. When compared to a healthy control group, the suicidal group displayed a general memory, especially for positively valenced cues. This study contradicted past research by explaining that the bias to remember negative events is not due to an excess of negative memories, but is because of an overgeneral memory. Since this initial study, research on OGM has expanded and has been further implicated in the risk to and maintenance of depression and PTSD.Moore, S. A.
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Zoellner, L. A. (2007). Overgeneral autobiographical memory and traumatic events: an evaluative review. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 419–437.
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References
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External links