ABSTRACT
Talk about the past is ubiquitous. Whether we are talking with old friends or new
acquaintances, colleagues or family members, everyday conversations are replete
with the stories of our lives. But what is it we talk about when we talk about the
past? And what is that we do not say? Although the psychological study of auto-
biographical memory has experienced a resurgence in the past decade, the focus
has been on formulating how autobiographical memories are represented and re-
trieved. The majority of research focuses on accuracy and retention over time
(e.g., Conway & Rubin, 1993; Rubin, 1996). Moreover, virtually all the research
conceptualizes autobiographical memory as internal to the individual; that is, al-
though autobiographical memory may be used to achieve social and emotional
goals (e.g., Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000), it is a system that is organized
within individual minds.
