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Canadian Psychology
2011, Vol. 52, No. 1, 61– 68
© 2011 Canadian Psychological Association
0708-5591/11/$12.00
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representations, and emotional memories provide an accessible
review of this research and show how recent advances in neuroscience have provided vital supplementary information to previous
behavioural research.
In the third section, four chapters examine the mental and social
processes underlying “collective memories” such as history books,
museums, and group-based differences in historical memories.
Anthropologist Wertsch contrasts cognitive psychology’s emphasis on analysing memory accuracy with the anthropologists’ interest in analysing collective memories as an “identity project.” The
chapter outlines current anthropological issues, such as the contrast
between history and collective memory and the analysis of narrative templates used in folktales, though I wished that more depth
had been provided for psychologists unfamiliar with these topics.
Memory-retrieval expert Roediger and colleagues repeat some of
the same issues as Wertsch’s chapter and also provide a comprehensive review of lab research on topics such as the effect of
testing, accuracy feedback, and retrieval spacing on memory accuracy. Most interesting, they show the relevance of this research to how historical information is remembered by different
groups, arguing that apparent ideological effects can be reconceptualized as a process of originally small group differences
being exaggerated by repeated retrieval through social communication. Pennebaker and Gonzales review—in beautiful writing worthy of experts in social communication— decades of
research on the language and content of blogs, audio-recorded
daily interactions, diaries, and movies, skillfully linking individual and society-level processes. The authors organise their
research by temporal distance from breaking news, discussing
topics such as society-level stages of reaction to traumatic
events (a theory first introduced in 1993 and updated here) and
the curiously common 25-year gap between a traumatic event
and its public commemoration. Finally, a mainly theoretical
chapter by Lambert and colleagues proposes several ways that
emotions, memories, and a sense of the collective could be
linked and reviews recent research on some effects of 9/11focused anger and anxiety.
Reaching the “culture” end of the line, a particularly readable
penultimate section covers research on history-related cultural
products. From the Waterloo psychology department, Blatz and
Ross present amusing examples of contradictory historical “memories” from different groups and show how these can result not
only from motivated governmental planning but also from relatively unintentional individual-level memory biases toward ingroups. Yale historian Blight leads us on a romp through the
reasons for a recent “boom” in the study of collective memory
among historians, useful both for those who wish to establish the
greater relevance of such research as well as introducing some
interesting new issues for psychologists, such as how motivations
for retribution versus reconciliation could influence collective
memories. Similarly, Yale historian Winter gives us an excellent
review of several recent issues in his field that could inspire work
in our own, such as how the use of different symbols (the cross,
Memory in Mind and Culture, by Pascal Boyer and James V.
Wertsch (Eds.) Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press,
2009, 332 Pages (ISBN 978-0-521-75892-5, US $35.99 Paperback; ISBN 978-0-521-76078-2, US $99.99 Hardcover)
Reviewed by EMMA E. BUCHTEL
DOI: 10.1037/a0022276
The statement by Shweder that “individuals and traditions,
psyches and cultures, make each other up” is one of the fundamental assumptions of cultural psychology (Shweder, 1991, p. 2).
It has become increasingly clear that how our minds work is
influenced by their cultural context. But less studied is the converse: How are cultural contexts, in turn, influenced by mental
processes? Deliberately addressing both the “mind” and “culture”
side of human memory, this pioneering book takes basic cognitive
research and applies it to the problem of understanding cultural
memories such as histories, memorial sites, stories, and songs.
This book rides the waves of two recent trends: interdisciplinarity and the effect of mind on culture. First, its psychologist and
anthropologist editors deliberately chose an interdisciplinary panel
of experts on memory, inviting highly respected psychologists,
anthropologists, and historians to review cutting-edge memory
research in their area of expertise. For psychologists, the resulting
collection not only provides readable reviews of current psychology research in memory but also introduces concepts and issues
from other disciplines that may open new avenues for research.
Second, the book emphasizes the coconstitution of mind and
culture, especially seeking evidence for how our minds structure
culture. This unusual perspective is especially well developed in
the last chapters of the book (Boyer; Rubin) but shows its influence throughout the book, with some authors exploring new ideas
about how basic research on memory processes can connect to the
study of culture (e.g., Schacter et al.; Wertsch).
The book begins with a chapter by editor Boyer, which, rather
than the traditional introduction of book content, addresses its
metaquestion: What is the function of memory? Discussing evolutionary, individual, and collective angles, Boyer exhorts us to
consider the “why” of memory, not just the “how” or “what.”
At the “mind” end of the disciplinary continuum, the second
section of the book highlights research on individual memory
processes. Williams and Conway review topics such as crosscultural research on memory distribution across the life span and
how cultural differences in self-concept influence childhood memories, providing many precise examples of how basic research on
memory encoding illuminates the complex area of autobiographical memories. Berntsen and Bohn review their recent research on
how cultural differences in traditional life scripts influence the
content of stories we tell about our own lives. Finally, Schacter,
Gutchess, and Kensinger utilize their considerable expertise in the
formation and recall of memories to review new neuropsychological research on memory specificity. Sections on priming, self61
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obelisks, names in alphabetical or military rank order, etc.) in
memorial sites reflects the local culture. These latter two chapters
are especially useful for psychologists, as they review categories
and concepts that have been extensively studied by historians but
are unknown in the field of psychology, providing an unusual
opportunity to open up new research areas.
Two final chapters break from the mind-culture continuum to
explore how minds constrain culture. Duke psychologist Rubin
reviews fascinating research on popular rhymes and ballads that
reveals how these cultural products are shaped by the human
brain’s abilities, advising us, with Newell, that by studying a
“genuine slab of human behaviour,” we can establish the existence
of psychological mechanisms that are demonstrably meaningful.
Finally, the question is fully explored by anthropologistpsychologist Boyer, who expertly reviews how cross-human biases
in memory and categorisation shape the most seemingly idiosyncratic cultural phenomena, such as characteristics of sacred spirits
and the persistence of caste and race categories.
In summary, this book provides excellent reviews of up-to-date
memory research in psychology—from brain structures to blogs—
and also innovatively connects this research to larger questions
about human culture. Though the coverage of eminent cognitive
psychologists is admirable, I wish the book had included some of
the new work by cultural and evolutionary psychologists on the
topic (see, e.g., recent conference symposia and books organized
by Berger, Schaller, or Twenge). Nevertheless, the book advances
the field in important ways, pointing the way to new research and
theories. While it might be especially useful for graduate students
in cognitive, cultural, or interdisciplinary psychology, this volume
would grace the bookshelves of anyone interested in how human
minds and cultures interact with one another.
Pascal Boyer, PhD, is Henry Luce Professor of Individual and
Collective Memory, departments of Psychology and Anthropology, at Washington State University in St. Louis.
James V. Wertsch, PhD, is Professor in Arts and Sciences at
Washington University in St. Louis. His research is concerned
with language, thought, and culture, with a special focus on collective memory and national identity.
Emma E. Buchtel, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Studies at the Hong Kong Institute of
Education. She studies the effect of culture on values, morality,
and motivation.
Reference
Shweder, R. A. (1991). Thinking through cultures: Expeditions in cultural
psychology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Trouble déficit de l’attention avec ou sans hyperactivité, par Olivier
Revol et Vincent Brun (dir.). Issy-les-Moulineaux (France) :
Elsevier-Masson, 2010, 96 p. (ISBN 978-2-294-71115-2, 42,75
CAD)
Compte-rendu par MARIE-CLAUDE GUAY
DOI: 10.1037/a0022277
Cet ouvrage est le fruit d’une journée d’étude qui s’est tenue à
Montpellier, en mars 2010, au cours de laquelle des professionnels
de différentes disciplines se sont penchés sur le thème « Trouble
déficit de l’attention avec ou sans hyperactivité (TDAH) : de la
théorie à la pratique ». Tel qu’il est mentionné dans l’avant-propos,
ce collectif, dirigé par Revol et Brun, et rédigé en collaboration
avec plusieurs professionnels spécialisés dans ce domaine, vise à
mieux outiller les soignants, les parents et les enseignants afin
qu’ils puissent reconnaı̂tre, accompagner et soulager les personnes
atteintes de TDAH. Cet ouvrage, qui comprend neuf chapitres, est
en quelque sorte une introduction au sujet. Il décrit le trouble, les
comorbidités et la démarche d’évaluation diagnostique, et il aborde
également quelques pistes d’intervention. Les parents d’enfants
ayant un TDAH ainsi que les professionnels des milieux de la
santé et de l’éducation qui souhaitent se familiariser avec ce
trouble seront certes satisfaits de ce livre. Le fait que des professionnels de plusieurs disciplines, telles la psychiatrie, la psychologie, la neuropsychologie et la psychomotricité, aient contribué à sa
rédaction constitue un atout majeur puisque le TDAH est présenté
sous différents angles. Toutefois, l’une des principales limites
inhérente à cette même qualité est que des avis contradictoires sont
avancés, ce qui peut susciter une certaine confusion chez le lecteur.
Le premier chapitre, de Revol et de ses collaborateurs, traite du
diagnostic des troubles attentionnels et de l’hyperactivité. Ce texte
est audacieux, car il met clairement en lumière les différences dans
la conception du TDAH en Amérique et en France. Les auteurs
proposent une approche intégrative qui vise à moderniser la conception du TDAH en France, en prenant en considération davantage les nouvelles connaissances dans le domaine de la génétique,
tout en évitant cependant certains excès constatés en Amérique du
Nord. Ce chapitre est d’autant plus intéressant que les auteurs
traitent également de la question des diagnostics différentiels.
Le second chapitre, d’Albert et de ses collaborateurs, porte sur
l’évaluation neuropsychologique et psychomotrice des troubles
attentionnels de l’enfant. Les fonctions cognitives déficitaires dans
le TDAH y sont bien définies et, surtout, les auteurs ont pris soin
de présenter les principaux instruments de mesure permettant de
les évaluer. Ce chapitre s’avère donc fort utile pour quiconque
souhaite se familiariser avec ces instruments. Néanmoins, il aurait
été intéressant, à mon avis, d’ajouter une section décrivant les
profils cognitifs des personnes qui ont un diagnostic de TDAH en
fonction des sous-types diagnostiques.
Le troisième chapitre est très important pour mieux comprendre
le TDAH puisqu’il présente les principales comorbidités qui y sont
associées. Comme ces comorbidités teintent la réponse à
l’intervention et le pronostic, il est indispensable d’avoir une
bonne connaissance des troubles pouvant être associés au TDAH
pour bien orienter le traitement dès le départ. Franc et ses collaborateurs insistent d’ailleurs sur la recherche et l’évaluation des
comorbidités au moment de l’évaluation diagnostique du TDAH.
En outre, ils précisent l’importance de traiter en parallèle ces
comorbidités et les symptômes du TDAH.
Le chapitre suivant, de Vergnaud-Gétin, sera particulièrement utile
aux parents qui cherchent à obtenir des services spécialisés en France,
puisqu’il décrit notamment le rôle de l’association HyperSupers. Cette
association, créée en 2002, offre maintenant des services aux patients
et à leur famille dans plusieurs régions du pays.
Dans le chapitre faisant état du devenir des troubles attentionnels chez l’adulte, Bange fait une recension intéressante de