In this chapter we examine the role and use of memory pointers—objects or photos that people believe will help them remember a particular experience—in how people establish and verify their identities. People's experiences are central to their identities (e.g., attending college, special trips), but it is not only the actual experiences one has; possibly more important are the memories of these experiences. Since people generally believe in the importance of experiences to their identities over time, people purposefully invest in memory pointers, tangible reminders that will help them cue these memories later on, both for themselves and to be shared with others. People believe that memory pointers are more effective at triggering memories when they are specific to a particular experience or setting (e.g., a shirt with the dorm logo versus a shirt with the college logo), and thus they are better able to verify and shape one's identity. This demand for specificity may explain why people take so many photos, as photos are inherently linked to the particular time and place when they were taken. Taking photos as memory pointers can further yield the added benefit of increasing engagement with the experience that is being photographed, which amplifies positive experiences and also heightens one's visual memories of the experience. When memory pointers are acquired with the intention to share them with others, people select different types of pointers than if they intend to use these memory pointers only for themselves. For example, photo albums to be shared may include more staged pictures of people who are smiling, while albums for oneself may include more candid moments. As a whole, this chapter highlights the importance of memory pointer acquisition and usage in people's desire to verify their identities over time
