Article Version of Record

A cultural psychological analysis of collective memory as mediated action: Constructions of Indian history

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Mukherjee, Sahana
Adams, Glenn
Molina, Ludwin E.

Abstract / Description

The present research applies a cultural psychological perspective on collective memory as mediated action to examine how constructions of a national past serve as tools that both reflect and shape national identity concerns. We employ a situation-sampling method to investigate collective memory in a series of studies concerning intergroup relations in the Indian context. In Study 1, participants (N = 55) generated three historical events that they considered important/relevant for Indian history. In Study 2, participants (N = 95) rated the importance and relevance of these events in a within-participant design. Illuminating the psychological constitution of cultural reality, frequency of recall (Study 1) and ratings of importance/relevance (Study 2) were greater for nation-glorifying events celebrating ingroup triumph than for typically silenced, critical events acknowledging ingroup wrongdoing. Moreover, these patterns were stronger among participants who scored higher in national identification. In Studies 3 (N = 65) and 4 (N = 160), we exposed participants to different categories of events in a between-participants design. Illuminating the cultural constitution of psychological experience, participants exposed to typically silenced, critical events reported lower national identification and greater perception of injustice against marginalized groups than did participants exposed to nation-glorifying events. Together, results illuminate a conception of collective memory as mediated action. Producers invest memory products with an identity-interested charge that directs subsequent intergroup relations toward identity-consistent ends.

Keyword(s)

collective memory India intergroup relations mediated action national identity situation sampling method social representatons of history

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2018-01-12

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

5

Issue

2

Page numbers

558–587

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Mukherjee, S., Adams, G., & Molina, L. E. (2018). A cultural psychological analysis of collective memory as mediated action: Constructions of Indian history. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 558–587. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.705
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Mukherjee, Sahana
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Adams, Glenn
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Molina, Ludwin E.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:45:06Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:45:06Z
  • Date of first publication
    2018-01-12
  • Abstract / Description
    The present research applies a cultural psychological perspective on collective memory as mediated action to examine how constructions of a national past serve as tools that both reflect and shape national identity concerns. We employ a situation-sampling method to investigate collective memory in a series of studies concerning intergroup relations in the Indian context. In Study 1, participants (N = 55) generated three historical events that they considered important/relevant for Indian history. In Study 2, participants (N = 95) rated the importance and relevance of these events in a within-participant design. Illuminating the psychological constitution of cultural reality, frequency of recall (Study 1) and ratings of importance/relevance (Study 2) were greater for nation-glorifying events celebrating ingroup triumph than for typically silenced, critical events acknowledging ingroup wrongdoing. Moreover, these patterns were stronger among participants who scored higher in national identification. In Studies 3 (N = 65) and 4 (N = 160), we exposed participants to different categories of events in a between-participants design. Illuminating the cultural constitution of psychological experience, participants exposed to typically silenced, critical events reported lower national identification and greater perception of injustice against marginalized groups than did participants exposed to nation-glorifying events. Together, results illuminate a conception of collective memory as mediated action. Producers invest memory products with an identity-interested charge that directs subsequent intergroup relations toward identity-consistent ends.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Mukherjee, S., Adams, G., & Molina, L. E. (2018). A cultural psychological analysis of collective memory as mediated action: Constructions of Indian history. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 558–587. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.705
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1443
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1753
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.705
  • Keyword(s)
    collective memory
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    India
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup relations
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    mediated action
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    national identity
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    situation sampling method
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    social representatons of history
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    A cultural psychological analysis of collective memory as mediated action: Constructions of Indian history
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    558–587
  • Volume
    5
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record