In search of the “mechanics” of collective memory transmission

Abstract

The paper discusses theoretical grounds for the search of mechanisms underlying the transmission of “cultural memory,” a problem posed in S. Yu. Nekliudov's paper. Several studies in sociology, anthropology, history and cognitive psychology serve as the basis for considering such facets of investigating “collective memory” as the constructed nature of group memory and the interaction between numerous groupdefned memories, the “historical accuracy” of memory and its narrative organization. We consider the results of research in neuropsychology that allow as to view the methods and limits of experimental investigation into the way memory transforms in communication. Based on D. Rubin's study, the prospects of studying mnemonic mechanisms in folklore texts are discussed. “Collective memory” research appears to be limited communicatively to studying memory in several generations at most, while it is appears that the investigation of the purportedly deeper “cultural memory” would involve a joint application of text analysis and socio-anthropological methods of collective (“communicative”, following J. Assman) memory research.