In Sync: Memory Similarity and Recall Order for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest

When recalling a widely shared public event, individuals tend to retrieve similar details in their narratives. However, the extent to which memory representations converge across individuals and whether recollections follow a systematic order remain unclear. In this study, we examined the extent to which memory representations of Portugal’s victory in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest are shared across individuals, whether recollections follow systematic order patterns, and which determinants are associated with event memory accuracy and inter-subject memory similarity. Participants (N = 58) reported their memories of the event approximately 6.5 years after it occurred. Representational similarity analyses showed substantial overlap in recalled details across participants, indicating convergence in collective memory. Regression analyses showed that greater media exposure was associated with higher event memory accuracy, but we found no clear evidence that the reported memory determinants were associated with similarity across participants’ narratives. Analyses of recall order revealed a consistent sequential pattern, with the song title immediately following the singer’s name. The observed order may reflect the frequent co-presentation of these details in media coverage. Together, these findings suggest that collective memories for public events are characterised by some shared content, but also by an organised recall pattern that reflects shared cultural knowledge and associative memory processes.