Examining Memory in the Context of Emotion and Motivation

Abstract

In this review, I summarize the limited literature that includes manipulations of both emotion and motivation within the same experiment to examine their interactive and distinct effects on episodic memory. I position this work within the context of theories according to which emotion and motivation are inseparable, as well as other theories that view these constructs as dissociable. Memory studies that manipulate emotion and motivation within the same trial provide support for theories that view them as separate constructs. Although separate constructs, studies that compare emotion and motivation, indicate they have similar effects on memory, but the extent of this similarity may depend on affective valence, task-relevance, and retention interval. Investigating the behavioral effects of emotion and motivation on memory can inform our theoretical understanding of these constructs, with value for practical and clinical applications ranging from academic performance to psychopathology.