Individual Differences in Object Imagery, Spatial Imagery, Verbal Skills, and Personality in Relation to Centrality of Positive and Negative Events

Event centrality refers to the extent to which an individual integrates a meaningful life event into their identity. This study examined how different types of imagery, verbal skills, personality traits, and sex predict the centrality of autobiographical events. Object imagery and verbal skills predicted the centrality of positive autobiographical events, indicating that both vivid representations and narrative construction of memories are crucial for their integration into one's self-concept. However, neither imagery nor verbal skills predicted the centrality of negative events. Sex predicted negative event centrality, with females reporting higher centrality than males. Neuroticism appeared to play a critical role in the integration of negative experiences into one's self-concept, overshadowing the direct effects of sex. Conscientiousness positively predicted the centrality of positive memories and negatively predicted the centrality of negative memories. Our findings contribute to understanding how different facets of individual differences collectively shape the centrality of positive and negative events.