Photographs can teach us a lot about ourselves and those around us.

"We know from much research, including research from The Family Narratives Lab that I direct, that young people who know more about their family stories and history fare better in the world on virtually any measure examined—self-esteem, a sense of well-being, a sense of meaning and purpose in life," said Dr. Robyn Fivush, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Developmental Psychology at Emory University and director of the Family Narratives Lab.

Fivush, who has been researching family stories for three decades, says they are more complex than we might imagine.

"They certainly include family history, stories of our forefathers and foremothers, about whom we may only have a few bits and pieces of information," she explained.

"But most family stories communicate the experiences of people we know: our parents and grandparents when they were growing up and forming young families."

These stories, aided by photos or other artifacts, are so powerful partly because they are very real to us.

Family stories are rarely one type or another. When you look at a photo, you might start talking about a beach vacation, but the conversation could lead to the tale of a big reunion the following summer.

"Family stories shared, told, and listened to, are part of the tapestry of family conversation, and communicate much more than just what happened," Fividush said.

"Family stories describe people, who they are and what they are like, and how characteristics are echoed through the family ('You are so much like your grandmother, always enjoying a good practical joke'), as well as values, ideals, hopes, and dreams ('And that was always so important to you grandfather, that he was able to provide an education for his children.),'" the psychologist added.

In this way, family stories help define who we are and who we strive to be.

Memories fade. Having an anchor, such as a photo, reassures us that there's at least some amount of information that remains preserved. And recreating it allows us to reconnect with that moment in time, bringing both the past and the present into sharp focus.