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Episodic memories can extend beyond direct experiences. For example, if you see a woman walking a dog and later observe a man walking the same dog, you might infer a connection between them. These inferences, crucial for making novel decisions and extending knowledge to new situations, are thought to rely on memory integration mechanisms.
Two main mechanisms have been proposed for memory integration. The integrative encoding account suggests that novel experiences can trigger the reactivation of past events, promoting the incorporation of new information into existing knowledge structures to form integrated memory representations. A complementary view proposes that memory integration can be achieved on demand, by flexibly retrieving and recombining information from distinct memory representations.
The present thesis employs time-resolved multivariate pattern analysis and representational similarity analysis to measure memory reactivation during new learning and tests of associative inference. This approach enables the investigation of the temporal dynamics of processes underlying memory integration and their boundary conditions. Study 1 investigates the temporal dynamics of integrative encoding and highlights individual differences in the capacity to integrate memories across events. Study 2 examines how the encoding context influences memory integration processes, while Study 3 focuses on the distinct roles of context and semantic schema in memory integration. Finally, Study 4 investigates how both integrated and separate memory representations support episodic memory.
This thesis presents novel evidence on the mechanisms underlying memory integration and elucidates potential boundary conditions for integrating memories across different events. In conclusion, memory integration is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by processes at multiple mnemonic stages and by various boundary conditions. The resulting integrated and separate representations are adaptively used to support goal-relevant behaviour, highlighting the flexibility and complexity of memory functions.