Storing events to retell them (Commentary on Suddendorf and Corballis: 'The evolution of foresight')

TL;DR

This paper discusses the role of episodic memory in accumulating and recounting relevant stories, emphasizing its function in social communication rather than future planning.

Contribution

It offers a commentary on the evolution of foresight, highlighting episodic memory's primary role in storytelling and social interaction.

Findings

Episodic memory is primarily for storytelling, not future simulation.

Remembered episodes are selected for their relevance to conversation.

The function of episodic memory is linked to social communication rather than foresight.

Abstract

Episodic memory is certainly a unique endowment, but its primary purpose is something other than to provide raw material for creative synthesis of future scenarios. Remembered episodes are exactly those which are worth telling. The function of episodic memory, in our view, is to accumulate stories that are relevant to recount in conversation.