Psychology ; self reference effect

NOVEMBER 11, 2011

Why It's Easier to Recall Birthdays Near Your Own

You're more likely to remember people's birthdays if they're close to your own, suggests research by Selin Kesebir and Shigehiro Oishi of the University of Virginia. In a study of undergraduates, the researchers found that the friends' birthdays recalled by participants were 11% closer to the participants' own birthdays than would have been mathematically expected. Past studies have shown that people have better recall of events that are connected to themselves, a phenomenon known as the "self-reference effect."

Source: A Spontaneous Self-Reference Effect in Memory : Why Some Birthdays Are Harder to Remember Than Others