It takes two: a dyadic approach to the content and functions of vicarious memories

In this commentary, we suggest that vicarious memories arise from complex and dynamic memory sharing processes. We extend Pillemer et al.’s (2024) case regarding the importance of vicarious memory for self and well-being by considering how characteristics of the teller and features of the context might interact with those of the receiver to shape the presence and functions of the vicarious memory being chosen and shared. We further propose that Pillemer et al.’s (2024) conceptualization of vicarious memories as part of autobiography links vicarious memory to a range of existing literatures from individual memory, social memory, and collective memory, and we consider how similarities and differences in the conversational remembering of jointly experienced events and vicarious events may provide fruitful avenues for further research. We argue for important applications of vicarious memory in real-world settings, with particular implications for supporting memory and identity in aged care and dementia care.