WHAT SPARKS deeper memories for you, She Loves Youor I Want to Hold Your Hand? Or is the song that really sets your reminiscences into overdrive Hey Judeor Imagine? More than 3,000 people answered a Leeds research group's request for their memories of the Beatles in the largest international online survey of its kind.
The aim of the University of Leeds memory group was to identify both the one special song or event and any positive experiences linked to it as a way to study how music can trigger a powerful memory response.
Psychologists Prof Martin Conway and Dr Catriona Morrison devised the project, which has created the largest database of autobiographical memories ever attempted.
The British Association for the Advancement of Science launched the online survey six months ago and the early responses will be presented this morning at the association's annual Festival of Science, in Liverpool. The responses poured in from contributors ranging in age from 17 to 87 and from 69 different nationalities.
The respondents were asked to blog the most vivid memory that came to mind relating to a Beatles album, song, news story or band member.
"We are so impressed with how vividly people could recall memories - sometimes from more than 40 years ago - especially when many eloquent and vivid memories appear to have been little recalled in decades," states Dr Morrison.
"This shows the power of music in shaping and reliving sometimes long-neglected memories."
Unusual differences were found in the responses received. While She Loves Youemerged as the song that produced most memories across the board, Americans most favoured I Want To Hold Your Handas the song that produced the most memories.
The majority of respondents were aged between 55 and 65, who would have been prime consumers of popular music when the Beatles hit the market.
"We had anticipated that women might have more emotional memories but this has not been substantiated by the data," said Dr Morrison.
Contributions can be read on www.magicalmemorytour.com
