Involuntary Memory

Involuntary memory was identified by the pioneering memory researcher Hermann Ebbinghaus more than a century ago, but it was not until very recently that cognitive psychologists began to study this memory phenomenon. This book is the first to examine key topics and cutting-edge research in involuntary memory.

• Discusses topics such as involuntary memories in everyday life, across the life-span, and in the laboratory; the special ways in which involuntary memories sometimes manifest themselves and a number of theoretical treatments of the topic.
• Presents innovative research that not only represents the starting point of the study of involuntary memory, but also places it in such broader topics as autobiographical memory, consciousness and memory, aging and memory, implicit and explicit memory, depression, and psychosis.

Preface.

Contributors.

Acknowledgements.

1. Involuntary Memory: Concept and Theory: John H. Mace (University of New Haven).

2. Involuntary Autobiographical Memories: Speculations, Findings, and an Attempt to Integrate Them: Dorthe Berntsen (University of Aarhus).

3. Does Involuntary Remembering Occur during Voluntary Remembering?: John H. Mace (University of New Haven).

4. The Role of Involuntary Memories in Posttraumatic Disorder and Psychosis: Craig Steel (King’s College London) and Emily A. Holmes (University of Oxford).

5. Effects of Age on Involuntary Autobiographical Memories: Simone Schlagman (University of Hertfordshire), Lia Kvavilashvili (University of Hertfordshire), & Joerg Schulz (University of Hertfordshire).

6. Cues to the Gusts of Memory: Christopher T. Ball (College of William & Mary), John H. Mace (University of New Haven), and Hercilia Corona (University of New Haven).

7. Can We Elicit Involuntary Autobiographical Memories in the Laboratory?: Christopher T. Ball (College of William & Mary).

8. Interaction between Retrieval Intentionality and Emotional Intensity: Investigating the Neural Correlates of Experimentally Induced Involuntary Memories: Nicoline M. Hall (Aarhus University Hospital).

9. How Deliberate, Spontaneous and Unwanted Memories Emerge in a Computational Model of Consciousness: Bernard J. Baars (The Neurosciences Institute), Uma Ramamurthy (University of Memphis), and Stan Franklin (University of Memphis).

10. Involuntary Memories: Three Variations on the Unexpected: George Mandler (University of California and University College, London).

Name Index.

Subject Index

"The wide range of topics covered makes this book appealing for a broad audience, of basic and applied researchers.... The writing is generally clear and easily accessible for final year undergraduates.... Useful for researchers interested in specific populations or topics." (Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2009)

"Mace does offer the public a comprehensive text that provides one of the most integrative works on involuntary memory. This book puts forth the most groundbreaking research done so far on involuntary memory and would benefit students and professionals eager to dive into one of the most complex grooves of the human psyche." (PsycCRITIQUES)

"This first-of-its-kind book point[s] out that much of the research ... has been published in the last ten years. Therein lies much of the book's appeal." (North American Journal of Psychology)

John H. Mace is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New Haven. Involuntary memory was identified by the pioneering memory researcher Hermann Ebbinghaus more than a century ago, but it was not until very recently that cognitive psychologists began to study this memory phenomenon. This book is the first to examine key topics and cutting-edge research in involuntary memory. Topics discussed include involuntary memories in everyday life, across the life span, and in the laboratory; the special ways in which involuntary memories sometimes manifest themselves such as in voluntary remembering, or in clinical syndromes like posttraumatic stress disorder; and a number of theoretical treatments.
The authors present innovative research on topics such as autobiographical memory; consciousness and memory; aging and memory; depression; and psychosis. With a balance of research and applications, this work will educate and ignite research and ideas on this important topic.