Initial theories of OGM focused on encoding and retrieval. Memories are encoded based on distinctive traits of what has happened; however, without proper encoding of a memory, the event will not be remembered in any great detail. The hypothesis that stemmed from this idea is that those who have dysfunctional encoding abilities would display greater OGM. With the addition of research on the relationship between depressive symptoms and OGM, the focus shifted. Williams proposed that depressed patients may be more vulnerable to this general encoding style, leaving them with an inability to recall specific aspects of events. However, it was not long until theories on OGM transitioned from a focus on encoding and retrieval to retrieval alone. In 1996, Williams proposed the theory of Functional Avoidance (FA) as the pathway to OGM. When a person experiences a traumatic event that could trigger negative emotions, the person may attempt to avoid that memory as a short-term coping strategy. Over time, this memory retrieval style becomes negatively reinforced and generalizes to other memories that could potentially be connected to the original negative memory, leading to OGM. However, with additional research on memory and OGM, the theory of Functional Avoidance could not be upheld on its own. Current theory In 2000, Conway and Pleydell-Pearce came up with an improved theory of<unk>  memory, inspiring Williams to revise and expand his theory of OGM into the current CaR-FA-X model (Capture and Rumination, Functional Avoidance, and Impairment in Executive Capacity). The new model of<unk>  memory relies heavily on the hierarchical nature of memory. Specifically, the model proposes that<unk>  memory can be broken down into four categories: conceptual themes, lifetime periods, general events, and event-specific knowledge. As one moves down the hierarchy, memories become more specific. The Conway and Pleydell-Pearce model suggests that OGM may have multiple causal pathways and that OGM cannot be explained solely by the theory of Functional Avoidance. To address these concerns, Williams' CaR-FA-X model specifically describes three pathways of how a person may develop OGM, though the interactions of the three factors may underlie OGM development as well. The first component of the theory, Capture and Rumination (CaR), refers to the idea that a person with negative self-beliefs may access general memories that remind them of their selves as they search for a memory, causing the person to be "captured" at the general level and ruminating on the idea, ending any deeper search for a specific memory. For example, when prompted with the cue word "sad," a person may think of a general event such as "sad when people ignore me." This thought, in turn, can lead to other thoughts centered on their negative self-beliefs, such as "why don't people like me," "I'm never good enough," etc., so a particular and specific event is never accessed. This error is often found in individuals who score high on ruminative thinking, such that individuals with negative self-belief may be specifically likely to develop OGM through this pathway. In Williams' revised model, Functional Avoidance (FA) remains relatively unchanged. Individuals who have experienced a traumatic event and who have developed depressive symptoms or PTSD symptoms seem vulnerable to developing OGM via this route, as they will be more prone to having a specific memory that elicits negative affect. As previously noted, it is believed that FA develops from a maladaptive coping style: the initial avoidance of the particular memory allows the individual to reduce emotional distress, though as this memory retrieval style is reinforced over time, it generalizes to other memories and becomes an impairment. The third pathway toward OGM involves Impairment in Executive Capacity (X). As described by Williams,<unk>  memory retrieval requires working memory capacity, the ability to maintain working memory, and inhibition of irrelevant information. In relation to testing for OGM, Sumner points out that executive control is necessary to even complete the<unk>  memory test, as the instructions must be kept in working memory as the person searches and retrieves a memory. It is most likely that this pathway would be implicated in individuals who have impaired cognitive processing due to trauma-related events or depression. Research shows that individuals with PTSD are more likely to have intrusive memories, which takes away from their cognitive resources. Additionally, individuals prone to depression and rumination may be unable to inhibit irrelevant ideas of the self, which would explain how the individual may become captured on the general level. Most research has focused on the separate pathways of each parts of the CaR-FA-X model; however, Williams predicts that there is an interaction between them. This is especially prominent for the Impairment in Executive Capacity, as a failure in inhibition and working memory can help explain both Capture and Rumination and Functional Avoidance. The current CaR-FA-X model seems promising in regard to describing pathways of OGM. A meta-analysis by Sumner in 2012 verified the plausibility of Williams' CaR-FA-X model across 38 studies examining OGM. However, it is widely established that more research will be necessary in order to fully describe OGM effects in particular populations and under certain contexts. For example, a review of OGM in 2013 revealed many gaps in the literature in regard to OGM in childhood, calling for additional theoretical research for this age group.
Overgeneral autobiographical memory
Mirrored-self misidentification
Emotional lateralization
Fragmentation of memory
Episodic memory
Psychological resistance
Psychological resilience
Associative memory 