TIME (Translational Approaches to Imagination and Memory)

The research unit TIME (Translational Approaches to Imagination and Memory) translates results from basic research in autobiographical memory and future thinking into new, integrated research domains, such as collective memory or environmental psychology, and into meaningful interventions that can be used in clinical, organisational or educational contexts.


The ability to remember your personal past and imagine your future is called autobiographical memory. Autobiographical memory is a prerequisite for establishing a coherent life story. Being able to remember the past and having a coherent life story is crucial for our experience of identity and meaning. Basic research into the fields of autobiographical memory, life story and future thinking has grown significantly over the past two decades. Researchers at our research unit all work with autobiographical memory, life stories and futures thinking, but they have backgrounds in different branches of psychology (cognition, development, work psychology, clinical psychology and neuropsychology). Our research group has two main goals: Firstly, to translate the results of basic research into new, integrated research domains such as collective memory or environmental psychology. Secondly, to translate results from basic research into meaningful interventions that can be applied in practice, for example in clinical, organisational or educational contexts.


Who are we?

Academic staff

Aleksandra Isham 

(University of Oslo) 


Publications

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Lanciano, T., Alfeo, F., Curci, A., Marin, C., D’Uggento, A. M., Decarolis, D., Öner, S., Anthony, K., Barzykowski, K., Bascón, M., Benavides, A., Cabildo, A., de la Mata-Benítez, M. L., Ergen, İ., Filip, K., Gofman, A., Janssen, S. M. J., Kai-bin, Z., Markostamou, I. ... Watson, L. A. (2024). The flashbulb-like nature of memory for the first COVID-19 case and the impact of the emergency: A cross-national survey. Memory, 32(2), 264-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2024.2310554
Christensen, D. S., Holm, T., Jensen, R. A. A., Lind, M., Pedersen, A. M., Watson, L. A. & Thomsen, D. K. (2024). Supporting Personal Recovery: Testing a Narrative Identity Intervention. Poster session presented at Psykiatriens Forskningsdag 2024, Aarhus, Denmark.
Watson, L. A., Taylor, A., Cole, S., Markostamou, I., Barzykowski, K., Ergen, İ. & Öner, S. (2022). Spontaneous past and future thinking about the COVID-19 pandemic across 14 countries: Effects of individual and country-level COVID-19 impact indicators.. Poster session presented at Autobiographical Memory in Ageing and Dementia, Aarhus.
Cole, S. N., Markostamou, I., Watson, L. A., Barzykowski, K., Ergen, İ., Taylor, A. & Öner, S. (2022). Spontaneous Past and Future Thinking About the COVID-19 Pandemic Across 14 Countries: Effects of Individual and Country-Level COVID-19 Impact Indicators. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 12(4), 502-512. https://doi.org/10.1037/mac0000071
Öner, S., Szpunar, K., Watson, L. A. & Cole, S. (2025). Spatial Optimism in Individuals' Future Thinking About the COVID-19 Pandemic. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 39(3), Article e70080. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70080
Rasmussen, K. W. & Berntsen, D. (2022). Selvbiografisk hukommelse. In T. A. Sørensen, A. Gjedde & R. S. Rasmussen (Eds.), Hjernen og hukommelsen (pp. 82-95). HjerneForum.
Matsumoto, N., Watson, L. A. & Kuratomi, K. (2023). Schema-driven involuntary categoric memory in depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 47(1), 52-68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-022-10329-6
Sawatzki, D. & Thomsen, D. K. (2025). Resilience Through Redemption: The Power of Narrative Work Identity. Poster session presented at European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology 2025, Prag, Czech Republic.
Berntsen, D. & Rasmussen, K. W. (2022). Reminiscens. In L. Øksnebjerg, S. G. Hasselbalch, A. Lolk & B. Vølund (Eds.), Forstå demens (3. ed., pp. 209-214). Hans Reitzels Forlag.
Rasmussen, K. W. (2022). Remembering a Life: Open-Ended Life Stories and the Cultural Life Script in Alzheimer’s Disease. Abstract from Autobiographical Memory in Ageing and Dementia, Aarhus.
Zaragoza Scherman, A., Salgado, S., Zosh, J. M., Bluck, S. & Berntsen, D. (2024). Recalling Autobiographical Memories of Childhood and Adulthood Play and Shopping: Effects on Play Attitudes and Purchase Intentions for Toys and Games. Poster session presented at 65th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, New York City, United States.
Kara, D. & Bohn, A. (2023). Personal Future Projections of Immigrants: What is the Effect of Remembering the Past?. Poster session presented at Special Interest Conference on Narrative Identity: Insights From Research to Practice, Lille, France.
Sawatzki, D. & Thomsen, D. K. (2023). Narrative Work Identity and Resilience among Teachers: A study in progress. Poster session presented at Special Interest Conference on Narrative Identity: Insights From Research to Practice, Lille, France.
Kaiser, A. P., Rasmussen, K. W. & Berntsen, D. (2023). Music-evoked autobiographical memories in Alzheimer’s disease: the effect of event-specific stimuli. Poster session presented at The Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, Nagoya, Japan.
Kaiser, A. P., Rasmussen, K. W. & Berntsen, D. (2023). Music-evoked autobiographical memories in Alzheimer’s disease: the effect of event-specific stimuli. Poster session presented at International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition 17, Tokyo, Japan.
Zaragoza Scherman, A., Salgado, S., Zosh, J. M., Bluck, S. & Berntsen, D. (2022). Memories of childhood and adulthood play: Effects of recall on play attitudes and purchase intent. Poster session presented at Autobiographical Memory in Ageing and Dementia, Aarhus, Denmark.
Boeltzig, M., Schubotz, R. I. & Bohn, A. (2025). "It has begun": Social Identities and Event Impact as Predictors of Flashbulb Memories of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.. Poster session presented at SweCog2025, Lund, Sweden.
Camia, C. & Bohn, A. (2025). Introduction. In C. Camia & A. Bohn (Eds.), Autobiographical Memory and the Life Story: New Perspectives on Narrative Identity (pp. 1-6). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009492140
Klug, K., Bohn, A., Allé, M. C., Kongshøj, I. L. L., Camia, C. & Gandolphe, M.-C. (2025). Impact of Memory Objects and Tattoos on the Recall of Important Life Events. Abstract from SARMAC XV, Ireland.
Watson, L. A., Lee, L. & O'Mahen, H. (2022). Imagining the Autobiographical Self Across Life Transitions: When does Specificity or Narrative Coherence Predict Later Mental Health?. Abstract from Autobiographical Memory and Psychopathology Meeting.
Camia, C., Alhallami, A. O., Alhattali , D. K., Al Hosani , B. M. & Bohn, A. (2023). Historical change in the Emirati Life Script. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 37(6), 1183-1198. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.4112
Zaragoza Scherman, A. (2023). Cultural Life Scripts. In L. M. Bietti & M. Pogacar (Eds.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Memory Studies Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93789-8_6-1

Research projects

  • BOLD MINDS: Identity and emotional life in youth - read more (in Danish): https://psy.au.dk/bold-minds

  • Tattoos as expressions of autobiographical memories and identity, in collaboration with Kristina Klug (PI), Goethe University Frankfurt am Main (Germany), https://www.goethe-university-frankfurt.de/57330083/Curriculum_Vitae; Christin Camia, Zayed University (United Arab Emirates) and Melissa Alle, University of Lille (France)
  • NOST-Ad-GIA: A Research Programme on Nostalgia Advertising, Consumer Behaviour, and Autobiographical Memory (Alejandra Zaragoza Scherman)

  • Nostalgia Advertising and Autobiographical Memory. A Review.

  • Recalling Autobiographical Memories of Childhood and Adulthood Play as a Mnemonic Nostalgia Intervention: Effects on Parental Attitudes towards Play, Purchase Intent of Toys and Games, and Intention to Play, in collaboration with Sinué Salgado, Aarhus University (DK), Jennifer Zosh, University of Pennsylvania (USA), Susan Bluck, University of Florida (USA) and Dorthe Berntsen, Aarhus University (DK)

  • The Role of Nostalgia Advertising and Autobiographical Memories in Fostering Parent-Child Play, in collaboration with Mary Kate Koch, Gonzaga University (USA) and Susan Bluck, University of Florida (USA)

  • What Makes You Feel Nostalgic? A Survey of Danish University Students, in collaboration with Stephan Pieter Smuts, Aarhus University

  • Nostalgia Advertising and Cultural Life Scripts in Danish TV Commercials, in collaboration with Simone Balocco, University of Barcelona (Spain)

  • Identity and Resilience at Work (Dela Sawatzki) In my PhD project I investigate the relation between identity and resilience at work. I use the Work Life Story interview to understand people's narrative work identity. I focus mainly on teachers in Germany and the school as a work environment. I use quantitative as well as qualitative methods in my study and contribute to resilience research by applying a narrative identity perspective.

Collaboration

Research collaboration
 

  • Alejandra Zaragoza Scherman works as a research consultant with EarthLab, what is an organisation that works with sustainable behaviour and with HandleMod, which is an organisation that offers workshops and courses on behaviour change to businesses, organisations and educational institutions.
  • Collaborator Noboru Matsumoto (Shinshu University, Japan) - Mechanisms of autobiographical memory in depression

Contact

If you’re interested in hearing more about the research unit and our activities, you are most welcome to contact: