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.

Keywords: emotion; internal source memory; judgments of source; metamemory; production effect; self-reference effect; valence.

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of the tasks used in Experiments 1 and 2. Note: JOS, Judgement of Source.

Figure 2

Behavioral results for JOSs, item memory and source memory in Experiments 1 and 2. Specifically, the behavioral results for judgments of source (JOSs; A,D), item memory (B,E), and source memory (C,F) are plotted on the y-axis as a function of source (aloud/silence; self-reference/common) and valence (negative/neutral/positive). Note: The error bars indicate the standard errors of the means.