Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
ABSTRACT This study examined immigration‐related self‐defining memories (SDMs) of first‐ and second‐generation Balkan immigrants in Turkey. Thirty‐three parent–adult child pairs participated, and each participant independently recalled two personal memories that defined them as a Balkan immigrant. Memories were analyzed in terms of self‐report memory characteristics and coded for narrative qualities. Results revealed that the second‐generation immigrants reported more positive, integrative, generic, and identity‐oriented narratives compared to the first generation (parents). Correlations between memory characteristics (centrality, phenomenology) and self‐related measures (homeland attachment, homeland identity, immigrant identity) were found only among second‐generation immigrants, indicating a stronger self–memory relationship in this group. Overall, the findings suggest that SDMs of the first‐generation immigrants primarily reflect the difficulties of the migration process and show weaker explicit links to self‐related measures, whereas the second‐generation immigrants construct more integrative narratives that reflect an inherited immigrant identity. The findings are discussed in light of both statistical and narrative analyses.
Erman et al. (Fri,) studied this question.