Abstract
The present investigation examined whether autobiographical memory can function to regulate competence need satisfaction. Across two experiments, we examined how autobiographical memories affected perceived competence after competence was threatened or satisfied in a previous task. Experiment 1 results from an undergraduate student sample (N = 150) indicated that reflecting on a competence-satisfying memory increased perceived competence for all participants, but this increase was particularly large for participants whose competence was previously threatened. Experiment 2 results using an undergraduate student sample (N = 245) indicated that participants were not more likely to select a competence-satisfying autobiographical memory over a relatedness-satisfying memory after experiencing a competence threat in a previous task; however, those who selected a competence-satisfying memory reported greater competence need satisfaction and more positive affect than those who selected a relatedness-satisfying memory. Moreover, degree of competence need satisfaction predicted positive affect which in turn predicted self-esteem and optimism. The present experiments highlight the powerful role of reflecting on important autobiographical experiences on need fulfillment and general psychological well-being.
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Notes
Positive and negative affect were also measured in this study. Results related to these variables are reported in the supplemental materials.
Vansteenkiste and Ryan (2013) indicate that need satisfaction may operate independently from need frustration. To examine this possibility in the present experiments, we also created two subscales for each need, one subscale with need satisfaction items (e.g., I feel capable at what I do) and one subscale with need frustration items (e.g., I feel like a failure because of the mistakes I make). In the present experiment, results did not vary by subscale so results are combined into a composite measure to simplify presentation of results. Analyses of separate subscales can be found in the supplemental materials.
Bauer & McAdams (2000) argue that autonomy is less often represented in a single, episodic event in autobiographical memory than in the desire to integrate the various aspects of one’s experiences into a coherent whole. Although we believe that individuals likely do hold clear episodic memories centered on personal autonomy, we did not include autonomy as a memory prompt in this study to increase the ease with which specific events could be recalled by participants in this study.
Due to space constraints, presentation of results pertaining to relatedness and autonomy are provided in the supplemental analyses document. As in Experiment 1, results indicated a general increase on relatedness and autonomy over time, a pattern that did not interact with task condition.
Given research on gender and memory themes (Boytos et al. 2020), analyses related to competence need satisfaction and positive affect were also conducted with gender entered as a covariate. Results indicated that the inclusion of gender did not meaningfully change observed effects. Analyses related to relatedness, autonomy, and need satisfaction and need frustration subscales are presented in supplemental materials. Subscale findings are similar to those reported here with the exception of the mediational analyses which found that need satisfaction, but not need frustration, mediated the association between memory and self-esteem and optimism.
Pairwise comparisons indicated that among participants who were assigned to the difficult RAT task, those who selected competence memories had similar correctness scores on the RAT (M = .44, SD = .79) as those who selected relationship memories (M = .71, SD = .86), F(1, 231) = 1.06, p = .305, ηp2 = .005.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by AA. Data analysis was performed by AA and KC. This manuscript is based on the dissertation written by AA. All authors contributed to, read, and approved the final manuscript.
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Austin, A.B., Costabile, K.A. The role of autobiographical memory in competence need satisfaction. Motiv Emot 45, 456–472 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-021-09895-1
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