Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have conducted a series of studies that represent an important extension of current literature on memory and culture. The studies systematically investigate cultural mechanisms for memory development, integrating cognitive and sociocultural perspectives. They had participants from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds (including immigrants in upstate NY), involving cross-national collaborations with researchers in Canada and China. To complement previous survey research, well-designed experiments were conducted that employed rigorous methodologies from cognitive and social psychology (exhaustive-search, word-cued, and priming methods). The findings demonstrated that cultures hold different social orientations towards autonomy versus relatedness and different views of the self as independent, self-contained entity or relational being in a nexus of social hierarchy. In turn, such differences have powerful effects on the content, style, time of emergence, and general accessibility of early childhood memories. All studies have been completed in time. The results have been published in top psychology journals. In addition, we have coded and analyzed data from our 3-year longitudinal study that tests my proposal that children's emotional understanding comprises an important mechanism for the development of autobiographical memory, both of which are shaped by early family socialization practices. This study involved a total of 189 European American, Chinese immigrant, and native Chinese children and their mothers. Maternal interaction styles and children's developing emotion knowledge and autobiographical memory are being assessed three times at home, from 36 to 60 months of age. We have completed all data collection and are continuing coding and analyzing data for publication. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The current project has participants from different ethnic backgrounds. The findings are pivotal for our theoretical understanding of autobiographical memory in particular and of cultural diversity in human memory and cognition in general. They will further help us understand real-world issues such as eyewitness testimony. In addition, given the great importance of autobiographical memory in constituting one's personality, mental health, and life course, these studies are indispensable for improving educational practices and real life settings in the contemporary American society, and New York State in particular, where there is an increasing number of immigrant populations. They will thus benefit both individuals and the society at large. To implement or transfer the results of the project, we have presented the findings at professional conferences as well as workshops in and outside the community. In addition, we have developed website to increase parents' and general public accessibility to our results.
Publications
- Wang, Q., Shao, Y., & Li, Y. J. (2010). My way or Moms way The bilingual and bicultural self in Hong Kong Chinese children and adolescents. Child Development.
- Doan, S. N., & Wang, Q. (2010). Maternal discussions of mental states and behaviors: Relations to emotion situation knowledge in European American and immigrant Chinese children. Child Development.
- Shao, Y., Yao, X., Ceci, S.J., & Wang, Q. (2010). Is self the driver in mental time travel Memory.
- Kulkofsky, S., Wang, Q., & Hou, Y. (2010). Why I remember that: The influence of contextual factors on beliefs about everyday memory. Memory & Cognition.
- Wang Q., Conway, M., Kulkofsky, S., Hou, Y., Mueller-Johnson K., Aydin, C., & Williams, H. (2009). The egocentric Americans Long-term memory for public events in five countries. Cognitive Sciences, 4, 2.
- Kulkofsky, S., Wang, Q., & Koh, J. B. K. (2009). Functions of memory sharing and mother-child reminiscing behaviors: Individual and cultural variations. Journal of Cognition and Development, 10, 92-114.
- Wang, Q. (2009). Are Asians forgetful Perception, retention, and recall in episodic remembering. Cognition, 111, 123-131.
- Wang, Q. (2009). Once upon a time: Explaining cultural differences in episodic specificity. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 3/4, 413-432.
- Wang, Q. (2008). Being American, being Asian: The bicultural self and autobiographical memory in Asian Americans. Cognition, 107, 743-751.
- Wang, Q. (2008). On the cultural constitution of collective memory. Memory, 16, 3, 305-317. Special issue: From individual to collective memory: Theoretical and empirical perspectives.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This 3-year longitudinal study (funded by NIH, award# R01 MH64661) tests my proposal that children's emotional understanding comprises an important mechanism for the development of autobiographical memory, both of which are shaped by early family socialization practices. A total of 189 European American, Chinese immigrant, and native Chinese children and their mothers are participating in this study. Maternal interaction styles and children's developing emotion knowledge and autobiographical memory are being assessed three times at home, from 36 to 60 months of age. We have completed all data collection and are continuing coding and analyzing data for publication. Furthermore, we have started another 3-year project (funded by NSF, award# BCS-0721171) that integrates experimental and longitudinal approaches to examine cultural and individual mechanisms underlying autobiographical memory development in middle childhood. We have finished Wave 1 data collection with 70 European American and Chinese immigrant children and families (with 2 interviews for each family). The data are currently under coding and analysis. In addition, we have conducted the first interviews with 50 families for Wave 2 and are recruiting more participants. In addition, we are conducting a number of short-term projects to examine the effect of culture on the perception, retention, and recall of episodic memory. These projects are at various stages of completion. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Situated in a cross-cultural context, these projects will make a unique contribution to current theories by examining both universal and culture-specific parameters on memory and its development. The findings will inform real life issues such as education and parenting and have important implications for policy-making. To implement or transfer the results of the project, we have presented the findings at professional conferences as well as workshops in and outside the community. In addition, we have developed website to increase parents' and general public accessibility to our results.
Publications
- Ivcevic, Z., Pillemer, D. B., Wang, Q., Hou, Y-B, Tang, H-Z, Mohoric, T., & Taksic, V. 2008(in press). When we feel good and bad about ourselves: Self-esteem memories across cultures. Memory.
- Hutt, R. L., Wang, Q., & Evans, G. W. 2008(in press). Relations of parent-youth interactive exchanges to adolescent socioemotional development. Social Development.
- Doan, S., Koh, J. B. K., & Wang, Q. 2008(in press). Culture and autobiographical memory. In C. Koch & C. Reyes (Eds.), Diversity in Human Behavior. Worth Publishers.
- Wang, Q. & Aydin, C. 2008(in press). Cultural issues in flashbulb memory. In O. Luminet, A. Curci, & M. A. Conway (Eds.), New developments in the study of flashbulb memories. Psychology Press.
- Wang, Q., Shao, Y., & Li, Y. J. 2008(in press). My way or Mom's way The bilingual and bicultural self in Hong Kong Chinese children and adolescents. Child Development.
- Peterson, C., Wang, Q., & Hou, Y. 2008(in press). When I was little: Childhood recollections in Chinese and European Canadian grade-school children. Child Development.
- Koh, J. B. K., Shao, Y., & Wang, Q. 2008(in press). Father, mother, and me: Parental value orientations and child self-identity in Asian American immigrants. Sex Roles.
- Wang, Q., Koh, J. B. K., Liang, Y.-X. A., Li, Y. J., & Lindsey, S. 2008(in press). Self-narrative and the construction of identity in Asian American young adults. International Journal of Psychology Research.
- Lu, H., Su, Y., & Wang, Q. (2008). Talking about others facilitates theory of mind in Chinese preschoolers. Developmental Psychology, 44, 6, 1726.
- Ojalehto, B. & Wang, Q. (2008). Childrens spiritual development in forced displacement: A human rights perspective. International Journal of Childrens Spirituality,13, 2, 129- 143.
- Wang, Q. (2008). Emotion knowledge and autobiographical memory across the preschool years: A cross-cultural longitudinal investigation. Cognition, 108, 117-135.
- Kulkofsky, S., Wang, Q., & Ceci, S. J. (2008). Do better stories make better memories Narrative skills and memory accuracy in preschool children. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 22, 21-38.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
We have conducted many studies to systematically investigate cultural mechanisms for memory development, integrating cognitive and sociocultural perspectives. These studies had participants from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds (including immigrants in upstate NY), involving cross-national collaborations with researchers in UK and China. To complement previous survey research, well-designed experiments were conducted that employed rigorous methodologies from cognitive and social psychology (exhaustive-search, word-cued, and priming methods). These studies demonstrated that cultures hold different social orientations towards autonomy versus relatedness and different views of the self as independent, self-contained entity or relational being in a nexus of social hierarchy. In turn, such differences have powerful effects on the content, style, time of emergence, and general accessibility of early childhood memories.
Impacts
In addition to the theoretical contribution, the findings will facilitate understanding of cultural diversity in human cognition and behavior, thereby help to reduce intergroup conflict. Also, given the great importance of memory in constituting one's identity and lifecourse, the findings will help to improve educational practices and real life settings in contemporary American society where there is an increasing number of immigrant populations. To implement or transfer the results of the project, I have presented the findings at conferences and workshops in and outside the community, and improved audience and general public accessibility to our results through website and publications.
Publications
- Wang, Q. 2007. Being American, being Asian: The bicultural self and autobiographical memory in Asian Americans. Cognition.
- Kulkofsky, S., Wang, Q. & Ceci, S.J. 2007. Do better stories make better memories? Narrative quality and memory accuracy in preschool children. Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology.
- Doan, S., Koh, J.B.K. & Wang, Q. 2007. Culture and autobiographical memory. In C. Koch & C. Reyes (Eds.), Diversity in Human Behavior. Worth Publishers.
- Wang, Q. & Aydin, C. 2007. Cultural issues in flashbulb memory. In O. Luminet, A. Curci, & M. A. Conway (Eds.), New developments in the study of flashbulb memories. Psychology Press.
- Wang, Q. & Ross, M. 2007. Culture and memory. In H. Kitayama & D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of Cultural Psychology (pp. 645-667). New York, NY: Guilford Publications.
- Wang, Q. 2007. On the cultural constitution of collective memory. Memory, in the special issue, From individual to collective memory: Theoretical and empirical perspectives.
- Wang, Q. 2007. Remember when you got the big, big bulldozer? Mother-child reminiscing over time and across cultures. Social Cognition, 25, 4, 455-471.
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