Change in Emotion and Mental Health: Chapter 9 - Memory, emotion, and mental health in developmental, cultural, and digital contexts

Autobiographical memories of significant personal experiences constitute our sense of self and identity and have a critical emotional impact on our mental health. In this chapter, we discuss the relation between memory, emotion, and mental health in developmental, cultural, and digital contexts. We first examine various cognitive processes involved in autobiographical memory, and emotionally salient autobiographical memory in particular, that are related to mental health. We then delineate a developmental perspective, discussing the relation between memory, emotion, and mental health across the lifespan. We further present a cultural perspective, showing that the structure, accessibility, content, and function of memory are conditioned by cultural values and practices, which in turn, shape individuals’ mental health and well-being. Lastly, we introduce a digital perspective and discuss the impact of the Internet and social media on the interplay between memory, emotion, and mental health. We end the chapter by highlighting open research questions and providing recommendations for future research.