Abstract
It was repeatedly demonstrated that a negative emotional context enhances memory for central details while impairing memory for peripheral information. This trade-off effect is assumed to result from attentional processes: a negative context seems to narrow attention to central information at the expense of more peripheral details, thus causing the differential effects in memory. However, this explanation has rarely been tested and previous findings were partly inconclusive. For the present experiment 13 negative and 13 neutral naturalistic, thematically driven picture stories were constructed to test the trade-off effect in an ecologically more valid setting as compared to previous studies. During an incidental encoding phase, eye movements were recorded as an index of overt attention. In a subsequent recognition phase, memory for central and peripheral details occurring in the picture stories was tested. Explicit affective ratings and autonomic responses validated the induction of emotion during encoding. Consistent with the emotional trade-off effect on memory, encoding context differentially affected recognition of central and peripheral details. However, contrary to the common assumption, the emotional trade-off effect on memory was not mediated by attentional processes. By contrast, results suggest that the relevance of attentional processing for later recognition memory depends on the centrality of information and the emotional context but not their interaction. Thus, central information was remembered well even when fixated very briefly whereas memory for peripheral information depended more on overt attention at encoding. Moreover, the influence of overt attention on memory for central and peripheral details seems to be much lower for an arousing as compared to a neutral context.
Highlights
In daily life we frequently experience that emotional events can be vividly remembered for years
Research on the effects of emotion on memory had a stronger methodological focus on ecological validity but revealed partly inconclusive results. It was post-hoc suggested that the centrality of to-be-remembered information plays a crucial role, with central items being remembered better at the expense of memory for peripheral items, when appearing in an emotionally negative context [1]
With a focus on ecological validity, the current study aimed to investigate the emotional trade-off effect on memory for central vs. peripheral details naturally appearing in diverse picture stories
Summary
In daily life we frequently experience that emotional events can be vividly remembered for years. Studies found the opposite effect, with negative stimulus material leading to a reduced memory performance when compared to neutral material [5,6]. To resolve this discrepancy, Christianson [1] suggested to post-hoc differentiate results of previous studies into those regarding more central and those regarding more peripheral to-beremembered details. Christianson [1] suggested to post-hoc differentiate results of previous studies into those regarding more central and those regarding more peripheral to-beremembered details With this differentiation an emotional enhancement effect on memory similar to real-life events seems to exist, but only regarding memory for more central details. The studies reviewed indicated that this benefit in memory for central details comes at the expense of memory for more peripheral details
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
