Are Early Childhood Recollections Consistent or Random?

Source: Incygneia/Pixabay

In the theory of early recollections, an individual's first memories of life supplement one another and show a level of consistency. With the absence of a pattern, the remembrances would simply be a random collection without coherent meaning. Yet, how is it possible to relate one memory to another and show connections? Recently, I had an opportunity to check this assumption by asking a person to share two early recollections as a projective technique.

Alexandria, a 30-year-old child and family therapist, related the following first memory. "My mom, sister, and I were at Disneyland, and it was mid-day. I wanted to ride the roller coaster, but I was scared. I remember the scene. I was wearing blue shorts, and my sister was in a matching outfit of a different color. I could hear the ruckus of the park—kind of loud. I was conflicted because I wanted to ride the big roller coaster, but I was scared. I asked my mom to come with me, and she said, 'I can't, I have your little sister with me, you can ride it by yourself and I will watch.' The conversation went back and forth. I kept asking her to go, but she said she couldn't. I was looking at the roller coaster and back at her, and my head was boomeranging. I felt very conflicted because I wanted to go on the ride, but not by myself. In the end, my mom gave me a choice of going on the roller coaster by myself, or riding the small ride with all three of us. I ended up not going on the roller coaster and riding on the small ride."

In response to my question about the most important part of the memory, Alexandria said, "The conflict between wanting to do something scary, but not on my own." She stated her feelings about the most important part, "Anxious, concerned. I didn't want to miss out."

The day after listening to Alexandria's rendering of this remembrance, I asked her to provide another early recollection. She began, "It was Christmas, and I was four years old. I have a family of five-- mom, dad, a seven-year-old brother, and a newborn sister. Michael had on green and white striped pajamas. I was really excited to open the presents. I kept picking up one from under the Christmas tree and wanting to open it. My mom would say, 'No Alexandria, that's not for you.' She would correct me by saying, 'Oh, no, that's Michael's present,' and I would repeat her words and put the present in his pile. It kept going on, and I would pick up another present, and need to wait because it was not mine." The most important part of the memory for Alexandria is: "The five of us are there and we are all joyful. It is a sweet memory." Her feelings at that point are, "Joy, delight, excitement."

Reflecting on the themes of Alexandria's memories, the main idea seems to be that she does not want to miss out on appealing opportunities. At the same time, important pursuits tend to involve risk and frustration that can be challenging. In the "roller coaster" remembrance, Alexandria is anxious about venturing out on her own in a scary situation. In the "Christmas tree" memory, she patiently interacts with her mother for an extended period. The lesson learned from the recollections is that there are conflicts inherent in significant events holding attractive possibilities. In this regard, Alexandria approaches the experiences as a contemplative person, and allows time for consideration.

Relating to personality dimensions, Alexandria's degree of activity is high in both memories. She engages events in purposeful ways that contribute to a vitality in living. Social interest is also elevated in each memory, as Alexandria feels a connection and a sense of belonging with other people. Regarding optimism/pessimism, she feels that expectations can be pleasant or unpleasant with the frustration of blocked goals. At the same time, Alexandra makes strong efforts to produce favorable outcomes. This is evident in both recollections. With respect to self-efficacy, in the roller coaster and Christmas tree memories, Alexandria engages sustained actions in dealing with challenging events. She does not give up until it is clear that the situation is what it is. With regard to conscientiousness, Alexandria is responsible and restrained in both remembrances, and in life she is reliable in following thorough on obligations and commitments.

From a sensory modality perspective, color is present in both memories. On a daily basis, Alexandria finds color to be emotionally uplifting and a highly important aspect of life. Routinely, she seeks out color in her surroundings in the form of matching attire, observing an array of hues in fortuitous contexts, and appreciating colors in built and natural environments. Relating to the senses, Alexandria has an orientation to hearing that is notable in the verbal interactions and sounds in each memory. She particularly enjoys quiet conversations, listening to music, and spontaneous auditory moments, such as rain falling on a tin roof. Alexandria finds loud and agitated sounds to be distressful and unpleasant. Relating to place or location, Alexandria especially likes settings in the company of people that she cares about or loves. This is observable in her two memories.

While some variations exist between Alexandria's recollections, there are also clear commonalities. The consistency of the memories suggests that they supplement one another. In combination, the remembrances build an empathic way of knowing that is richer and more refined.