Human Memory and Emotion
Summary. This study looks at the role of emotion in memory. Participants are shown a slide show and later asked to recall details. The emotional impact of the slide show, as well as the physiological response to the slide show, is manipulated.
Video. Scientific American Frontiers: Pieces of Mind (1997), Remembering What Matters segment. The segment starts about 12 minutes into the program, and runs for about 9 minutes. The description of the experiment discussed here starts about 7 minutes into the segment. Pause the video after Alan Alda says “He still rates the story as highly emotional.” After the students have done their data analysis and drawn conclusions, show the remainder of the program. The video can be viewed online (as of July 2018) -- Season 7, episode 3.
Original Research. Cahill, L., Prins, B., Weber, M., & McGaugh, J. L. (1994). p-Adrenergicactivation and memory for emotional events. Nature, 371, 702-704.
Design. 2 x 2 between-subjects factorial.
Statistical Analysis. First, students can compare emotion ratings from Table 1 using a 2 x 2 ANOVA or multiple independent-samples t-tests. The main finding is that the ratings in the Propranolol group are not significantly different from those of the placebo group, t(l6) = 1.37, p = .19. Next, students can compare memory scores (Table 2) among conditions. For the neutral story the two conditions are not significantly different, t(16) = .17. For the arousal story, the memory scores are significantly higher in the placebo group, t(16) = 2.68.
Published Results. "Placebo subjects who viewed the emotional story answered significantly more questions correctly (48.9 ± 1.47) than did the propranolol subjects (42.4 ± 1.72) (t(17) = 2.73, P < 0.02). The placebo and propranolol groups who viewed the neutral story did not differ in number of questions correctly answered.'' (p. 702).
Published conclusions. "We report here that propranolol significantly impaired memory of the emotionally arousing story but did not affect memory of the emotionally neutral story. The impairing effect of propranolol on memory of the emotional story was not due either to reduced emotional responsiveness or to nonspecific sedative or attentional effects. The results support the hypothesis that enhanced memory associated with emotional experiences involves activation of the p-adrenergic system.'' (p. 702).
Comments. For this design, a 2 x 2 ANOVA could be used; we report t-tests because that is what the original authors reported. You might also wish to discuss practical vs. statistical significance, and whether the video account of the study suggests a larger effect size than was actually found.
There are two Excel files for this activity. Excel file 1 contains realistic emotional reaction ratings (0 = not emotional at all, 10 = highly emotional) for the four conditions. Excel file 2 contains realistic scores in the four conditions on the multiple-choice memory test for story phase 2 (percent correct).
Summary. This study looks at the role of emotion in memory. Participants are shown a slide show and later asked to recall details. The emotional impact of the slide show, as well as the physiological response to the slide show, is manipulated.
Video. Scientific American Frontiers: Pieces of Mind (1997), Remembering What Matters segment. The segment starts about 12 minutes into the program, and runs for about 9 minutes. The description of the experiment discussed here starts about 7 minutes into the segment. Pause the video after Alan Alda says “He still rates the story as highly emotional.” After the students have done their data analysis and drawn conclusions, show the remainder of the program. The video can be viewed online (as of July 2018) -- Season 7, episode 3.
Original Research. Cahill, L., Prins, B., Weber, M., & McGaugh, J. L. (1994). p-Adrenergicactivation and memory for emotional events. Nature, 371, 702-704.
Design. 2 x 2 between-subjects factorial.
Statistical Analysis. First, students can compare emotion ratings from Table 1 using a 2 x 2 ANOVA or multiple independent-samples t-tests. The main finding is that the ratings in the Propranolol group are not significantly different from those of the placebo group, t(l6) = 1.37, p = .19. Next, students can compare memory scores (Table 2) among conditions. For the neutral story the two conditions are not significantly different, t(16) = .17. For the arousal story, the memory scores are significantly higher in the placebo group, t(16) = 2.68.
Published Results. "Placebo subjects who viewed the emotional story answered significantly more questions correctly (48.9 ± 1.47) than did the propranolol subjects (42.4 ± 1.72) (t(17) = 2.73, P < 0.02). The placebo and propranolol groups who viewed the neutral story did not differ in number of questions correctly answered.'' (p. 702).
Published conclusions. "We report here that propranolol significantly impaired memory of the emotionally arousing story but did not affect memory of the emotionally neutral story. The impairing effect of propranolol on memory of the emotional story was not due either to reduced emotional responsiveness or to nonspecific sedative or attentional effects. The results support the hypothesis that enhanced memory associated with emotional experiences involves activation of the p-adrenergic system.'' (p. 702).
Comments. For this design, a 2 x 2 ANOVA could be used; we report t-tests because that is what the original authors reported. You might also wish to discuss practical vs. statistical significance, and whether the video account of the study suggests a larger effect size than was actually found.
There are two Excel files for this activity. Excel file 1 contains realistic emotional reaction ratings (0 = not emotional at all, 10 = highly emotional) for the four conditions. Excel file 2 contains realistic scores in the four conditions on the multiple-choice memory test for story phase 2 (percent correct).