Measuring episodic memory and mental time travel: crossing the species gap

Collaro, Eli; Barton, Robert A.; Ainge, James; Easton, Alexander

Abstract

Mental time travel is the projection of the mind into the past or future, and relates to experiential aspects of episodic memory, and episodic future thinking. Framing episodic memory and future thinking in this way causes a challenge when studying memory in animals, where demonstration of this mental projection is prevented by the absence of language. However, there is good evidence that non-human animals pass tests of episodic memory that are based on behavioural criteria, meaning a better understanding needs to be had of the relationship between episodic memory and mental time travel. We argue that mental time travel and episodic memory are not synonymous, and that mental time travel is neither a requirement of, nor an irrelevance to, episodic memory. Mental time travel can allow improved behavioural choices based on episodic memory, and work in all species (including humans) should include careful consideration of the behavioural outputs being measured. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Elements of episodic memory: lessons from 40 years of research’.

Citation

Collaro, E., Barton, R. A., Ainge, J., & Easton, A. (2024). Measuring episodic memory and mental time travel: crossing the species gap. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 379(1913), Article 20230406. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2023.0406

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 22, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 16, 2024
• Publication Date: Nov 4, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 1, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 4, 2024
• Journal: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
• Print ISSN: 0962-8436
• Electronic ISSN: 1471-2970
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 379
• Issue: 1913
• Article Number: 20230406
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2023.0406
• Keywords: scene construction, mental projection, 4E cognition, rodent, human
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2291610