No Memory Is an Island: How Social Interactions Transform Autobiographical Memory

Autobiographical memory is not merely a record of past events but a dynamic reconstruction shaped by context, emotion, and social interaction. In this hypothesis paper, we propose that empathic interactions can transform autobiographical memory, altering memory’s content, emotional tone, and integration into the self. We begin by outlining the social foundations of autobiographical memory and the neural systems involved in its transformation, focusing on the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. We then explore how empathic exchanges may lead to changes in memory specificity and coherence, emotional reappraisal, and self-concept, particularly within psychotherapy and close relationships. Central to our framework is the proposal that interbrain synchrony, neural coupling across individuals during interaction, facilitates the co-construction of meaning and shared understanding. Crucially, we argue that distinct forms of empathic interaction and patterns of interbrain synchrony support different mechanisms of memory change, including contextual binding, emotional regulation, narrative reframing, and self-relevant integration. We discuss how these mechanisms support memory updating through repeated interpersonal engagement. Finally, we offer testable predictions of our model and consider clinical and societal implications. Our framework bridges memory research and social neuroscience and offers a novel, integrative direction for understanding memory as a phenomenon co-constructed through interactions.