Cognitive and neural bases of autobiographical reasoning for past and future events

Narrative identity hinges on the construction of a coherent life story. While the cognitive and neural bases of past-oriented narratives are well documented, much less is known about their future-oriented counterparts. This study investigates whether autobiographical reasoning—defined as reflecting on the personal meaning of events—operates similarly or differently depending on temporal orientation. In Study 1, we assessed the narrative content and functions of autobiographical reasoning. For both past and future events, autobiographical reasoning involved linking represented events to other personal experiences and characteristics. However, past-oriented reasoning relied more on personal characteristics, whereas future-oriented reasoning included more references to personal goals. In Study 2, participants evoked the concrete content of past and future self-defining experiences, or engaged in autobiographical reasoning for the same events, during fMRI scanning. Autobiographical reasoning showed a consistent neural signature across temporal orientations, involving the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, and lateral temporal cortex. These findings highlight both shared and distinct aspects of autobiographical reasoning across the past and future. Overall, autobiographical reasoning appears to draw primarily on semantic processing and conceptual self-knowledge, enabling individuals to derive meaning and value from personal events by linking them to other experiences, goals, and traits. • Past and future autobiographical reasoning shows both common and unique features. • Autobiographical reasoning mostly relies on conceptual self-knowledge. • Reasoning about the past relies more on linking events to personal characteristics. • Reflecting on the future involves more references to personal goals. • Autobiographical reasoning has a specific neural signature.