Collaborative remembering: background and approaches

In this introduction to the edited volume, Collaborative Remembering: Theories, Research, and Applications, we first provide a historical context that highlights the emerging focus on social factors in the study of memory. We then consider the range of social memory phenomena examined in the book including remembering with an intended future audience, remembering in the presence of others, remembering in direct collaboration with others, and remembering in larger social and cultural contexts. We also discuss the various methods used in the book to measure collaborative remembering, including productivity, content, accuracy, process, and function. The focus throughout the chapter is on the points of overlap and contrast across and within perspectives. We then conclude with a preview of the specific chapter contents.