Abstract
BackgroundEmotional states linked to arousal and mood are known to affect the efficiency of cognitive performance. However, the extent to which memory processes may be affected by arousal, mood or their interaction is poorly understood.Methodology/Principal FindingsFollowing a study phase of abstract shapes, we altered the emotional state of participants by means of exposure to music that varied in both mood and arousal dimensions, leading to four different emotional states: (i) positive mood-high arousal; (ii) positive mood-low arousal; (iii) negative mood-high arousal; (iv) negative mood-low arousal. Following the emotional induction, participants performed a memory recognition test. Critically, there was an interaction between mood and arousal on recognition performance. Memory was enhanced in the positive mood-high arousal and in the negative mood-low arousal states, relative to the other emotional conditions.Conclusions/SignificanceNeither mood nor arousal alone but their interaction appears most critical to understanding the emotional enhancement of memory.
Highlights
Studies of emotional influences on memory have revolved around Tulving and Thompson’s [1] influential encoding specificity hypothesis that memory is facilitated by the congruency of emotional states during encoding and retrieval
It has been proposed that arousal levels, irrespective of emotional mood valence, may be critical for feature binding in working memory [4] and long-term memory for word lists [5]
Other evidence [6] has suggested that mood valence, independently of arousal, may account for the emotional modulation of memory performance and that independent neural areas may support the influence of arousal and emotional valence on memory [7]
Summary
Studies of emotional influences on memory have revolved around Tulving and Thompson’s [1] influential encoding specificity hypothesis that memory is facilitated by the congruency of emotional states during encoding and retrieval. Close links have been described between emotion and memory processes other than encoding. Current understanding indicates that variations in emotional arousal after an initial study phase may influence subsequent memory for previously studied information. Other evidence [6] has suggested that mood valence, independently of arousal, may account for the emotional modulation of memory performance and that independent neural areas may support the influence of arousal and emotional valence on memory [7]. Memory for arousing items may rely on a neural network involving the amygdala and the hippocampus, whilst memory for valenced information may be supported by a prefrontal-hippocampal network [7]. Emotional states linked to arousal and mood are known to affect the efficiency of cognitive performance. The extent to which memory processes may be affected by arousal, mood or their interaction is poorly understood
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