Abstract
Two experiments examined if exposure to emotionally valent image-based secondary tasks introduced at different points of a free recall working memory (WM) task impair memory performance. Images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) varied in the degree of negative or positive valance (mild, moderate, strong) and were positioned at low, moderate and high WM load points with participants rating them based upon perceived valence. As predicted, and based on previous research and theory, the higher the degree of negative (Experiment 1) and positive (Experiment 2) valence and the higher the WM load when a secondary task was introduced, the greater the impairment to recall. Secondary task images with strong negative valance were more disruptive than negative images with lower valence at moderate and high WM load task points involving encoding and/or rehearsal of primary task words (Experiment 1). This was not the case for secondary tasks involving positive images (Experiment 2), although participant valence ratings for positive IAPS images classified as moderate and strong were in fact very similar. Implications are discussed in relation to research and theory on task interruption and attentional narrowing and literature concerning the effects of emotive stimuli on cognition.
Highlights
Effects of Valent Image-Based Interruptions on Verbal Working Memory Working memory (WM) involves internal encoding and maintenance of phonological and visuo-spatial information over brief time periods (Baddeley, 2003, 2007)
The latter finding indicates a facilitation rather than inhibitory effect of being exposed to and having to think about a meaningless image involving a black fixation cross on a white background. Whilst this might not appear surprising given that this condition possibly afforded a period to further strengthen items already encoded in memory more so than in the mild-strong valent image conditions, it was still a secondary task that took attention away from the primary task
In support of our predictions, the findings suggest that secondary tasks containing negative valent images disrupt WM, especially when high or moderately high in valence (e.g., Kensinger & Corkin, 2003) and when positioned at primary task points associated with a high WM load (e.g., Bailey & Iqbal, 2008; Monk et al, 2004)
Summary
Effects of Valent Image-Based Interruptions on Verbal Working Memory Working memory (WM) involves internal encoding and maintenance of phonological and visuo-spatial information over brief time periods (Baddeley, 2003, 2007). Whilst it is clear that exposure to moderate-strong negative valent images during secondary tasks impaired the ability to maintain encoded representations of words and possibly retrieval cues within WM, the level of disruption was intensified due to a higher WM load at the point in which an emotive secondary task occurred.
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