The Effect of Positive Affect on Memory
Gardner, Jenna; Ashworth, Jeremy; Rasmussen, Brittney; Bigler, Erin D.
Abstract
The majority of positive affect research has been studied in relation to mental flexibility and creative thinking, with a smaller emphasis in the area of memory recall. Studies have specifically looked at the influence of positive affect as it relates to the following: creative problem solving (e.g., Mikulincer, & Sheffi, 2000, Estrada, Young, & Isen, 1994; Greene & Noice, 1988; Isen, Johnson, Mertz, & Robinson, 1985), improves recall of neutral and positive information (Isen, Shalker, Clark, & Karp, 1978; Nasby & Yando, 1982; Teasdale & Fogarty, 1979), promotes mental flexibility (Carnevale & Isen, 1986; Estrada, Isen, & Young, 1997; Isen & Geva, 1987; Isen & Means, 1983; Isen, Nygren, & Ashby, 1988; Murray, Hirt, Sujan & Sujan, 1990), improves the speed of conscious perception (Kuhbandner, Hanslmayr, Maier, Pekrun, Spitzer, Pastötter, Bäuml, 2009), improves text processing and recall (Egidi, 2007), improved peripheral vision detail recall (Talarico, Berntsen, & Rubin, 2009), information retrieval (Ellis, Thomas, McFarland, & Lane, 1985), free recall (Hill, Van Boxtel, Ponds, Houx, & Jolles, 2005). There is very little research on the effects of a positive mood and delayed memory recall, and none that specifically looks at delayed verbal memory recall. We have designed our study to determine if a relationship between positive affect and memory recall exists, specifically related to delayed verbal memory recall.