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Examining the diversity of repeated events, single instances of repeated events, and unique events

Poster Session A - Saturday, March 7, 2026, 3:00 – 5:00 pm PST, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballrooms

Oliver R. Bontkes¹ (obontkes@student.ubc.ca), Daniela J. Palombo¹, Eva Rubinová²; ¹The University of British Columbia, ²University of Aberdeen

Autobiographical memory research has begun to conceptualize memories as falling along a continuum (or continua) from semantic memory (general knowledge of facts/information) to episodic memory (single events localized in time and place). Different memory types (repeated events, unique events, etc.) are thought to fall at different points along this continuum. Yet, few studies have applied the continuum perspective to investigate diversity within particular memory types. For example, are all unique events the same, or are there different types of unique events with different patterns of reliance on semantic and episodic memory? In a previous study, we used exploratory Latent Profile Analysis to answer this question for repeated events, finding three distinct types of repeated event memories. In the present study, we extend this investigation to memories of unique events and single instances of repeated events, while replicating our previous findings concerning repeated events. Across two samples (Discovery: N1 = 600, Replication: N2 = 567) we found evidence for distinct profiles across all three event types, all of which differed on participant’s reliance ratings of semantic memory, a single episode, and a mixture of episodes. Follow-up analyses highlighted similarity and the use of an observer visual perspective as two key factors associated with differences amongst the profiles in all the three memory types, across both samples. These findings shed light on the diversity within different memory types, underscoring a potentially fruitful avenue for future research and furthering the refinement of existing theories of memory.

Topic Area: LONG-TERM MEMORY: Other