Does Negative Mood Confer an Advantage in the Recall of Negative Life Events?

Abstract

Models of depression suggest that depression, which is characterized by sad mood, should confer a recall advantage for negative stimuli, including stressful life events. The current study examined the effects of mood congruent recall on the quantity and accuracy of recall of negative life events. Forty-two college students received a negative or positive mood induction and then listened to narratives of 11 negative life events which mapped onto a well-known life events checklist measure. One week later, participants returned to the lab, received the same mood induction, and were asked to recall the narratives in open-ended recall and when using the life events checklist as a memory measure. There were no significant group differences on numerous measures of quantity and accuracy of recall including false memories. These results suggest that negative mood does not confer a recall advantage nor disadvantage for narratives of negative life events. Possible implications for depression and recall of negative life events are discussed.