Differential Effects of Valence and Encoding Strategy on Internal Source Memory and Judgments of Source: Exploring the Production and the Self-Reference Effect

Abstract

Item memory studies show that emotional stimuli are associated with improved memory performance compared to neutral ones. However, emotion-related effects on source memory are less consistent. The current study probed how emotional valence and specific encoding conditions influence internal source memory performance and judgments of source (JOSs). In two independent experiments, participants were required to read silently/aloud (Experiment 1) or to perform self-reference/common judgments (Experiment 2) on a list of negative/neutral/positive words. They also performed immediate JOSs ratings for each word. The study phase was followed by a test phase in which participants performed old-new judgments. In Experiment 1, the production effect was replicated for item memory, but the effects of valence on item and source memory were not significant. In Experiment 2, self-referential processing effects on item and source memory differed as a function of valence. In both experiments, JOSs ratings were sensitive to valence and encoding conditions, although they were not predictive of objective memory performance. These findings demonstrate that the effects of valence on internal source memory and JOSs are modulated by encoding strategy. Thus, the way information is encoded can shed light on how emotion might enhance, impair or exert no influence on source memory.

Pure-list production improves item recognition and sometimes also improves source memory

“…However, in these studies, the production effect on item recognition may have boosted the production effect on modality judgments, due to the confounding of item and source memory in basic IO type source measures (Murnane & Bayan, 1996). Using a multinomial-modeling approach to generate independent measures of item and source memory, Pereira, Sampaio, and Pinheiro (2019) failed to find enhanced source memory judgments about production in a mixed-list design. The researchers noted several methodological details that may explain why they did not replicate Ozubko et al's (2014) source memory advantage for aloud items.…”

Interactions of Emotion and Self-reference in Source Memory: An ERP Study

“…In the case of the non-self-referential condition, source memory performance was expected to be enhanced for neutral compared to negative and positive words (e.g., Cook et al, 2007;Ferré et al, 2019, Experiment 2 and 3;Pereira et al, 2019, Experiment 2). Nonetheless, a lack of effect might also be anticipated (e.g., Ferré et al, 2019, Experiment 1;Sharot & Yonelinas, 2008; see also Pereira et al, 2019 for a summary table ).…”

“…At the behavioral level, we anticipated that source memory performance would be improved for both positive and neutral compared to negative words in the self-referential condition, following prior studies (Durbin et al, 2017;Leshikar et al, 2015;Pereira et al, 2019;Y. Zhang et al, 2018).…”

“…The effects of emotion on source memory, i.e., the ability to remember features associated with a given study event (Johnson, Hashtroudi, & Lindsay, 1993), vary across studies (see Pereira, Sampaio, & Pinheiro, 2019 for a summary table). Whereas some studies report a deleterious (Cook, Hicks, & Marsh, 2007;Ferré, Comesaña, & Guasch, 2019, Experiment 2 and 3;MacKenzie, Powell, & Donaldson, 2015;Maddock & Frein, 2009) or a beneficial effect of emotion (Kensinger & Corkin, 2003;, others show no differences between emotional and neutral stimuli on source memory (Ferré et al, 2019, Experiment 1;Gallant, Spaniol, & Yang, 2019;Gallant & Yang, 2014;Koenig & Mecklinger, 2008;Wang & Fu, 2011).…”

“…These conflicting findings may be accounted for by different factors: the way information is encoded is a relevant candidate to consider (Leynes & Crawford, 2018;Leynes & Mok, 2017). In this regard, self-referential processing has been one of the encoding strategies examined in the context of source memory by testing its influence on features, such as stimulus location and color (Yin, Ma, Xu, & Yang, 2019) and the encoding task itself (Dulas, Newsome, & Duarte, 2011;Durbin, Mitchell, & Johnson, 2017;Hou, Grilli, & Glisky, 2019;Leshikar & Duarte, 2012;Leshikar, Dulas, & Duarte, 2015;Mao, Wang, Wu, & Guo, 2017;Pereira et al, 2019;Zhang, Pan, Li, & Guo, 2018). Nonetheless, few studies have probed the interactive effects of self-referential encoding and emotion on source memory and their electrophysiological correlates.…”