Memory for self-referentially (SR) encoded information is generally stronger than for other-referentially (OR) processed information. This self-reference effect (SRE) appears to co-vary with social distance, corresponding to a similar benefit for close over distant other-reference (CORE). SR/OR effects on memory are widely thought to selectively depend on a person’s self-concept, including the degree to which it incorporates relationships with other people.
We investigated the relationship of SR/OR effects with interdependent self-construal and altruism in two depth-of-processing experiments. Participants judged the descriptiveness of trait words for either themselves, a close relation, or a distant acquaintance before completing a memory test and questionnaire measures on interdependent/independent self-construal and past altruistic behaviour. Our results did not show any significant correlation between social self-views and SR/OR effects in free recall (N=142). Considering the comparatively larger SREs in recognition memory and episodic recollection, and free recall’s presumable psychometric shortcomings, we again tested for associations of these traits with SR/OR effects on recognition performance and recollection estimates (N=161). Despite confirming all expected effects of reference condition on memory, we only observed a reduced advantage of SR over close other-reference with higher interdependence, which also showed an unexpected similar relationship with altruism. Correlations were observed in recollection estimates only, with recognition performance closely resembling the pattern of the null findings in free recall.
While these results might reflect substantive issues regarding the questionnaires’ target constructs and their link with schematic self-representation, they also highlight difficulties in applying performance-based experimental paradigms to the study of individual differences.