Abstract
This study investigates the gender differences and similarities in autobiographical memory for eudaimonic happy events. One hundred and eighty-six adults were asked to write personal narratives of meaningful life experiences that enabled them to develop their best potentials. They also completed questionnaires assessing the memory features of reported experiences, the centrality of such experiences for the individual’s identity, and the participants’ well-being. The analysis of narratives revealed that, overall, male and female participants reported eudaimonic experiences which were quite similar in content. Multivariate analyses were also conducted to assess the impact of gender on narrative and questionnaire measures of memory characteristics. Results showed that gender did not have a significant effect on any of the assessed memory characteristics; that is, there were substantial similarities in how male and female participants narrated and assessed their recollections. Findings are interpreted taking into account the current psychology literature on gender differences and similarities.
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Acknowledgements
Author wish to thank Elisa Andreis, Enrico Briccoli, and Deborah Cotich for their precious help in collecting and entering data. This work was supported by the University of Bergamo under the Grant 60SOTG15.
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Appendix: Examples of Autobiographical Narratives
Appendix: Examples of Autobiographical Narratives
1.1 School Achievements
A 24-year-old male. I thought about my high school graduation exam. When recalling this event, I feel highly positive emotions. It was a great experience. Indeed, during the days preceding the exam I was anxious and scared. However, after the first two written examinations, I felt relaxed because I realized that I did all my best. Of course, the second examination, which concerned electronics, was the hardest one. My classmates gave me a precious support to pass it and I am really grateful to them. By contrast, the third written examination and the oral test were much easier. My final mark was 92 out of 100, which is a very good mark. In conclusion, I want to stress that working hard and being supported by others give you good results and satisfaction.
A 20-year-old female. An event that I consider important is my high school graduation exam. I got 80 out of 100 as a final mark. That perfectly met my personal axpirations. During the school year, I studied very hard and I got good marks. That happened because of my effort. The day I took the exam, the committee members listened to me with great attention and interest. When the oral test ended, I felt extreme joy. Such a strong emotion aroused because I had the opportunity to show everybody who I really am. It was a sort of revenge!
1.2 Work Experiences
A 37-year-old male. When I was a boy, I spent lots of time admiring design products exhibited in shops. At that time, I had a dream: becoming a designer. This aspiration greatly influenced my professional path. The event I am remembering is the day I had the opportunity to see one of my products in one of the most important museums of the world. I was 34 and I felt that my dream was realized.
A 27-year-old female. I want to describe the day in which my current job started. I want to underscore that my current job is what I have always wanted to do. I studied very hard to get it. On that morning, I was a bit nervous because I didn’t know what to expect and I also didn’t know if I would have been able to accomplish my tasks. However, everything went smoothly and I had no difficulties in accomplishing every task I was assigned. My dream started to take shape. Today, based on the results I am getting, I feel very satisfied as I know that I can rely on my skills.
1.3 Childbirth
A 42-year-old male. Of course, the birth of a child is an unforgettable event. I had the luck to have two children and I perfectly remember when both of them were born. However, the event I want to describe here is the birth of my second child. Ten minutes before he was born, I feared that what should have been a fantastic day would have turned into a tragedy. It was an endless time. Then, I heard him crying. The world started to exist again. The time started to flow again.
A 30-year-old female. My happy event is the birth of my daughter. When she was born, I felt that my goals and personal values were attained: I had a family. I remember that day as a mix of different emotions: fear, astonishment, joy, and confusion. Then, happiness prevailed over all these feelings. A new life with my family was going to start.
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Sotgiu, I. Gender Differences and Similarities in Autobiographical Memory for Eudaimonic Happy Events. J Happiness Stud 20, 1457–1479 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0006-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0006-z