Different concepts of episodic memory: contextual representation vs. Self (22-10493S)

Basic informations

Investigator: RNDr., PhDr. Tereza Nekovářová, PhD.
Main recipient: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Research period: 1/1/2022 - 31/12/2024
Total budget: 6,996,000 CZK
Supported by: Czech Science Foundation (GACR) 

Annotation

The proposed project focused on comparison of two models of episodic memory in a form of (a) contextual information (“what”, “where”, “when” - “episodic-like memory”) and (b) information connected with self-experience (“autonoetic experience”, “autobiographical memory”). Project utilizes a multidimensional approach to address episodic memory abilities in context of ontogeny, psychological and neuronal mechanisms. Three target groups including healthy volunteers of different age (preschool and 1st year schooled children, young adults and elderly) will be recruited for the study in order to clarify developmental aspects of episodic memory in critical ontogenetic periods In order to study possible differences between concepts of episodic and autobiographical memory, the study combines standard psychological (neurocognitive) measures with brain imaging and custom episodic memory tasks created in virtual reality environments. Application of virtual reality tasks enables us to study episodic memory in ecologically valid situations and controlled conditions across all three target groups.