Read the given story and classify it as 'imagined', 'recalled', or 'retold'. If a story is imagined, the person who wrote the story is making it up, pretending they experienced it. If a story is recalled, the person who wrote the story really experienced it and is recalling it from memory. If a story is retold, it is a real memory like the 'recalled' stories, but written down much later after previously writing a 'recalled' story about the same events. So, recalled stories and retold stories will be fairly similar, in that they both were real experiences for the writer. Imagined stories have a more linear flow and contain more commonsense knowledge, whereas recalled stories are less connected and contain more specific concrete events. Additionally, higher levels of self reference are found in imagined stories. Between recalled and retold stories, retold stories flow significantly more linearly than recalled stories, and retold stories are significantly higher in scores for cognitive processes and positive tone.
One example is below.
Q: Concerts are my most favorite thing, and my boyfriend knew it. That's why, for our anniversary, he got me tickets to see my favorite artist. Not only that, but the tickets were for an outdoor show, which I love much more than being in a crowded stadium. Since he knew I was such a big fan of music, he got tickets for himself, and even a couple of my friends. He is so incredibly nice and considerate to me and what I like to do. I will always remember this event and I will always cherish him. On the day of the concert, I got ready, and he picked me up and we went out to a restaurant beforehand. He is so incredibly romantic. He knew exactly where to take me without asking. We ate, laughed, and had a wonderful dinner date before the big event. We arrived at the concert and the music was so incredibly beautiful. I loved every minute of it. My friends, boyfriend, and I all sat down next to each other. As the music was slowly dying down, I found us all getting lost just staring at the stars. It was such an incredibly unforgettable and beautiful night.
A: imagined
Rationale: This is a good example because it really was an imagined story. The attributes that should tip you off are that the story is light on concrete events (they describe things in broad terms such as going to a restaurant and being at the stadium, but nothing specific about who was exactly where and anything specifically notable someone said or did) and heavy on references to the writer themselves and their internal feelings (they frequently repeat how much they loved it, how romantic they felt, how they cherished the night, etc). It's also very linear and structured, pointing to this being an imagined story. Additionally, the events and feelings described seem a little romanticized or idealized beyond what is usually a realistic circumstance.
Q: One week ago I was sitting at my desk at work when a woman walked by that I had never seen before. Immediately she caught my attention since I was very attracted to her, but I simply went back to my work once a moment or two had passed. I was writing an email to a coworker when she walked by again. I looked out of the corner of my eye to see that she was heading toward the break room. I decided that the email could wait so I decided to mosey on over to the break room myself to get a cup of coffee, and if she so happened to be in there then that would be just great. I walk in and notice her standing at the coffee machine pouring herself a cup. I walk up and wait for her to be done when she goes to get a packet of sugar to add to her coffee when she notices the container is empty. She doesn't seem to know where the extras are stored so I open up and tell her that the spare sugar packets are stored in the cabinet above the sink. She thanks me and walks over to the previously mentioned cabinet. She thanks me and introduces herself as Pam, and I nod my head and tell her my name is Tim. As I pour myself a cup of coffee, I remark that I haven't seen her around the office before and ask if she just started working here. She responds that she is actually just here for the week as she is running a training seminar for people in the accounting department. I feel slightly relieved by this since that means if something does happen between us it won't be an awkward office romance, but at the same time I was a bit upset because she was only here for a week. I grab myself a cookie and offer her one to go with the coffee she is drinking. She accepts. Seeing as how it's Thursday and she will be done with her training seminar tomorrow, I decide to go for broke and do something I normally never do. I just straight up ask her if she would like to grab some dinner sometime with me. She smiles and gives me her phone number and tells me to text her later so we can work something out. I add her number and smile and tell her I should probably get back to work, but if she needs any more help finding other condiments to come find me at my desk and I'll be happy to help. She laughs and says she will be looking for my text. I go back to my desk and resume writing the email, but this time in a much better mood.
A:
imagined