Emotional Arousal and Memory Binding: An Object-Based Framework

ABSTRACT— Binding various features of an event together and maintaining these connections in memory is an essential component of episodic memories. Previous theories make contradictory predictions about the effects of emotional arousal on memory binding. In this article, I review evidence for both arousal-impaired and arousal-enhanced memory binding and explain these contradictory findings using an object-based framework. According to this framework, emotionally arousing objects attract attention that enhances binding of their constituent features. In contrast, the emotional arousal associated with one object either impairs or has no effect on the associations between that object and other distinct objects or background contextual information. After initial encoding, the attention-grabbing nature of emotionally arousing objects can lead to interference in working memory, making it more difficult to maintain other bound representations. These contrasting effects of arousal on memory binding should help predict which aspects of emotional memories are likely to be accurate and which aspects are likely to be misremembered.     

诱发及个体自发认知重评对情绪唤醒反应及情绪记忆的影响

为了明确诱发（IRE）及个体习惯化的自发（SRE）认知重评策略对情绪唤醒反应及情绪记忆的影响,在测量被试SRE水平的基础上,先呈现一系列中性与负性情绪图片,要求被试对图片内容进行自然观看或认知重评,同时记录被试的主观与生理唤醒水平,之后对图片进行自由回忆及再认测试。发现IRE显著降低了情绪唤醒水平及再认正确率,但只对情绪唤醒反应较高的LR（SRE水平较低）被试有效。结果提示,IRE对情绪唤醒反应与情绪记忆的调控受到SRE的影响。     

来源记忆中背景的情绪效价与唤醒对提取过程的影响

以往研究表明情绪背景对来源记忆存在影响,但背景的情绪效价和唤醒如何影响熟悉性及回想尚存争议。本研究以ERPs技术作为测量手段,采用来源记忆多键范式,操纵背景的情绪效价及唤醒强度,以探讨编码阶段背景情绪影响来源记忆提取的认知神经机制。学习阶段,呈现中性汉字及情绪图片（正性高唤醒、正性低唤醒、负性高唤醒、负性低唤醒）;测验阶段,仅呈现汉字,被试进行五键判断。行为结果发现：来源正确的比率比来源错误的比率更高,反应时更短;同时提取正性背景的辨别力更强,反应时更短;提取高唤醒背景反应时更短。脑电结果发现了分别代表熟悉性及回想的FN400及LPC新旧效应,且在500～700 ms,提取正性背景及高唤醒背景诱发显著更正的ERPs,但效价与唤醒没有交互作用。总体来说,来源记忆中背景效价及唤醒度对回想过程存在独立影响,体现为正性背景及高唤醒背景对来源提取的促进作用。     

依赖于唤醒与效价的情绪记忆增强效应：自动与控制加工*

情绪记忆增强(Emotionally Enhanced Memory, EEM)效应受到刺激的唤醒度和效价的影响。Kensinger 等人提出依赖于唤醒的 EEM 效应与自动加工相联系,依赖于效价的 EEM 效应与控制加工相联系。然而现有研究并不能为这一假设提供充分的证据。本研究的三个实验采用学习--再认范式和 DA 范式(divided attention paradigm)相结合的方法,分别考察了在两种注意条件下依赖于唤醒和依赖于效价的EEM 效应在编码阶段的加工机制。结果发现,中性词、正性非唤醒词、负性非唤醒词在集中注意条件下的记忆再认成绩显著高于分散注意条件下的记忆再认成绩;正性唤醒词在集中注意条件下的记忆再认成绩也显著高于分散注意条件下的记忆再认成绩,但负性唤醒词的记忆再认成绩在两种注意条件下不存在显著差异。这表明依赖于效价的 EEM 效应与控制加工相联系,而依赖于唤醒的 EEM 效应并不总是与自动加工相联系,其加工还受到情绪效价的调节,对于负性刺激,依赖于唤醒的 EEM 效应与自动加工相联系;对于正性刺激,依赖于唤醒的EEM效应则与控制加工相联系。     

Effects of Arousal on Everyday Memory

The notion of an unidimensional continuum of arousal is difficult to sustain, as is the universality of predictions from the Yerkes-Dodson law. A brief his- torical account of how these difficulties have arisen is provided, as well as sketches of some theoretical alternatives that have appeared in the past 10 years. It is argued that this more recent theorizing can supply explanatory constructs to bring order to the data on the relation of increases in arousal to memory performance. The argument is illustrated by an analysis of a number of studies involving everyday memory performance, studies involving encod- ing of eyewitness memories or retrieval of complex motor sequences.     

身体攻击行为学生自主神经活动的情绪唤醒特点

运用情绪生理学的方法,以31名具有身体攻击行为的初中工读学生和30名普通初中生为研究对象,研究了身体攻击行为学生与普通学生在基线生理唤醒和情绪生理唤醒的方面不同特点。结果发现,在生理唤醒的基线水平上,身体攻击行为学生与普通学生在指温、R-R间期、心率、指脉率方面差异显著,身体攻击行为学生的指温、心率、指脉率比普通学生低,身体攻击行为学生的R-R间期比普通学生R-R间期长。在愤怒刺激条件下,身体攻击行为学生报告的愤怒体验水平比普通学生高;愤怒诱发刺激引起身体攻击行为学生R-R间期、心率变化显著,而普通学生R-R间期、心率变化不显著。厌恶与恐惧、悲伤、愉快诱发刺激引起普通学生皮肤电变化显著,而身体攻击行为学生皮肤电变化不显著     

A Role for the Human Amygdala in Recognizing Emotional Arousal From Unpleasant Stimuli

Functional neuroimaging and lesion-based neuropsychological experiments have demonstrated the human amygdala's role in recognition of certain emotions signaled by sensory stimuli, notably, fear and anger in facial expressions. We examined recognition of two emotional dimensions, arousal and valence, in a rare subject with complete, bilateral damage restricted to the amygdala. Recognition of emotional arousal was impaired for facial expressions, words, and sentences that depicted unpleasant emotions, especially in regard to fear and anger. However, recognition of emotional valence was normal. The findings suggest that the amygdala plays a critical role in knowledge concerning the arousal of negative emotions, a function that may explain the impaired recognition of fear and anger in patients with bilateral amygdala damage, and one that is consistent with the amygdala's role in processing stimuli related to threat and danger.     

情绪性记忆的主动遗忘

情绪性记忆的主动遗忘, 是指人们有意识地主动地遗忘带有情绪色彩的记忆内容, 但更多的是那些带来痛苦的负性情绪性记忆。主动遗忘又分为定向遗忘和压抑遗忘, 项目法和字表法是实验室中研究定向遗忘的主要方法, 而白熊任务和TNT任务是研究压抑遗忘的主要范式, 研究者们围绕两种遗忘做了大量研究。未来的研究应更关注情绪性记忆遗忘的不同心理机制, 不同研究范式与心理机制的交互作用, 情绪性记忆遗忘的个体差异, 情绪性记忆遗忘中事件遗忘和情绪反应遗忘的分离等 问题。     

Contrasting Cortical Activity Associated with Category Memory and Recognition Memory

We collected functional neuroimaging data while volunteers performed similar categorization and recognition memory tasks. In the categorization task, volunteers first studied a series of 40 dot patterns that were distortions of a nonstudied prototype dot pattern. After a delay, while fMRI data were collected, they categorized 72 novel dot patterns according to whether or not they belonged to the previously studied category. In the recognition task, volunteers first studied five dot patterns eight times each. After a delay, while fMRI data were collected, they judged whether each of 72 dot patterns had been studied earlier. We found strikingly different patterns of brain activity in visual processing areas for the two tasks. During the categorization task, the familiar stimuli were associated with decreased activity in posterior occipital cortex, whereas during the recognition task, the familiar stimuli were associated with increased activity in this area. The findings indicate that these two types of memory have contrasting effects on early visual processing and reinforce the view that declarative and nondeclarative memory operate independently.     

创伤后应激障碍患者情绪记忆优势研究述评

创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)是由高情绪刺激引起延迟出现和长期持续的精神障碍。闯入、闪回、病理性重复体验、持续性警觉性增高和回避等症状严重损害其认知功能。PTSD患者记忆形成了情绪网络。情绪记忆具有强烈、持久的特点, 在记忆中具有优势地位。回顾PTSD患者情绪记忆优势的行为及脑成像研究发现, PTSD患者情绪记忆优势研究结果并不完全一致, 受到诸多因素的影响, 这些影响因素需进一步探讨。     

Emotional Arousal Shifts the Effect of Ad Placement on Ad Recognition

This study explored whether the arousal and relevance of media content placed in between advertisements moderated the effect of ad placement on ad recognition. Two experiments (N₁ = 60, N₂ = 62) were conducted in which participants viewed static ads that appeared before and after pictures that systematically varied in arousal. Results demonstrated that ads appearing before media content were recognized better than were ads appearing after media content when emotional arousal of media content was high, but that ads appearing after media content were recognized better than were ads appearing before media content when emotional arousal was low. Greater encoding of media content enhanced the memory of ads appearing before media content but not ads appearing after media content. Additionally, content relevance lowered ad recognition, especially during shallower encoding (i.e., encoding without the purpose of remembering). This study contributes to research on ad placement by proposing emotional arousal as a potential block that prevents new information from being encoded into short-term memory. Practically, this study emphasizes the importance of emotional arousal of surrounding content as a crucial factor for optimal ad placement.     

The Emotional Experience Associated with Worrying in Adolescents

Among adults, both normal and pathological worrying has been found to be associated with a unique emotional syndrome involving irritability, restlessness, low frustration tolerance and difficulty relaxing. This emotional state is empirically distinguishable from anxiety and depression, and is reliably assessed by the Stress scale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). The association between worry and ‘stress’ may have important implications for a better theoretical understanding of worrying in adults. Among youth, however, the emotional experience associated with worrying has not yet been clearly described. The present study aimed to explore whether a distinct, adult-like ‘stress’ syndrome can be assessed in adolescents via self-report, and whether, as in adults, stress has a specific association with worrying. A simplified version of the DASS was created to maximize its comprehension by adolescents. A group of 340 12–18-year-olds completed the simplified DASS and a self-report measure of worry. Factor analyses revealed a three-factor structure underlying the simplified DASS, similar to the original adult version. Further analyses showed that worry had a unique association with Stress, over and above its association with Depression and Anxiety. Adolescents who worry more excessively and uncontrollably also reported higher levels of irritability, restlessness and difficulty relaxing, while the autonomic arousal symptoms of anxiety had consistently low associations with worrying, especially in older adolescents. Results indicate that the proposed cognitive avoidance function of worrying may be present by adolescence.     

情绪记忆的鲜活性和准确性的关系*

采用记得/知道范式,以正性、负性和中性图片为实验材料,以32名大学本科生为被试,考察情绪记忆鲜活性和准确性的关系。结果发现,情绪记忆的记得成绩好于中性记忆,说明情绪记忆较中性记忆更具鲜活性;情绪记忆的鲜活性和准确性存在较大的关联,在正性、负性和中性图片上相关都达到了显著,表明情绪记忆的鲜活性与刺激中心细节的恢复相联系。     

唤醒度对汉语情绪词情绪启动效应的影响

使用词汇情绪启动的实验范式,通过两个行为实验探讨了不同SOA(100ms、300ms和500ms)条件下情绪唤醒度在情绪启动效应中的作用,以及情绪启动效应是否受到任务形式的影响。结果发现,在情绪效价判断任务中,SOA为100ms时高唤醒和低唤醒启动词都出现了情绪启动效应,SOA为300ms时只有高唤醒启动词出现了情绪启动效应。在真假词判断任务中,无论高唤醒还是低唤醒启动词都没有出现情绪启动效应。唤醒度是影响词汇情绪启动效应的重要因素,但这种效应不是完全自动化的过程,会受到SOA和任务导向的影响。情绪启动效应可能来自于启动词与目标词在反应趋向上的一致性趋势。     

Response Latency to Computer-Administered Inventory Items as an Indicator of Emotional Arousal

The response latencies of college students to computer-displayed emotionally arousing or emotionally neutral self-report statement were investigated. Arousing and neutral statements were matched for word and character length to control for reading time. Subjects responded to statements by pressing T (for true), F (for false), or the space bar (for cannot say) keys on the keyboard, and the computer recorded the elapsed time from the onset of each statement's display until the subject's response. Results indicated that response latencies were significantly longer for the arousing items. The findings suggest that the recording of response latencies in computerized personality inventories may help identify item content areas that individuals find emotionally arousing. Other possible clinical and research uses for response latencies in computerized inventories are discussed.     

情绪性记忆的定向遗忘效应

刺激的情绪性具有增强记忆的效果,那么,带有情绪信息的刺激对遗忘又会产生怎样的影响？已有研究从行为及认知神经机制层面探讨了情绪性刺激对定向遗忘效应的影响,但结果并不一致。总结已有文献发现,以情绪性刺激的材料类型、情绪效价、唤醒度和熟悉度为主的客观因素和以被试的情绪状态为主的主观因素均为影响定向遗忘效应产生及其稳定性的重要原因。这类研究是对有意遗忘研究领域的重要补充,也加深了人们对有意遗忘机制的理解。     

Patterns: Basic Units of Emotional Memory

In psychoanalysis, we attempt to engage with one another in ways that enhance understanding. We tend to valorize the verbal domains, yet much of the information we seek may be relatively inaccessible to conscious awareness, obscured by trauma or by the early age at which the information was encoded. These types of information are stored within the body as sensory memories, in which it is through the patterns of the communications that meanings are derived. Affect, most particularly, is known through its patterns of prosody and intensity. Greater appreciation of the patterned forms that underlie emotional memory can help us to better locate ourselves within this infinitely complex and fertile realm of nonverbal understandings, and to learn to communicate these understandings in constructive ways.     

情绪记忆的神经基础

情绪记忆具有强烈、持久的特点,在记忆中具有优势地位。杏仁核是情绪记忆的关键脑区,其外侧核被认为是情绪回路建立的中心部位。恐惧条件反射是情绪记忆,特别是情绪回路研究的有效手段。情绪记忆的编码,储存与提取受到杏仁核与各相关脑区共同影响,其中激素调节在这些过程中发挥重要作用。文中结合最新的研究成果对情绪记忆的神经机制进行讨论     

Arousal and Valence in the Direct Scaling of Emotional Response to Film Clips

Contributions of differential attention to valence versus arousal (Feldman, 1995) in self-reported emotional response may be difficult to observe due to (1)confounding of valence and arousal in the labeling of rating scales, and (2) the assumption of an interval scale type. Ratings of emotional response to film clips (Ekman, Friesen, & Ancoli, 1980) were reanalyzed as categorical (nominal) in scale type using consensus analysis. Consensus emerged for valence-related scales but not for arousal scales. Scales labeled Interest and Arousal produced a distribution of idiosyncratic responses across the scale, whereas scales labeled Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, Surprise, and Pain, produced consensual response. Magnitude of valenced response varied with both stimulus properties and self-reported arousal.     

自我参照对情绪性记忆定向遗忘的影响

关于自我参照效应的研究大多从信息编码角度考察自我参照的加工优势, 但作为记忆过程的另一重要方面, 自我参照对遗忘影响的研究较少。遗忘自身经历的情绪性记忆是日常生活中的常见现象。研究采用项目法定向遗忘范式(item-method directed forgetting)考察了自我参照对情绪性记忆定向遗忘的影响。实验一和实验二的结果都表明参照方式会影响定向遗忘：自我参照条件下的材料会发生定向遗忘; 而他人参照条件下的材料不会发生定向遗忘, 两种参照方式下材料间区辨性的不同是导致这一现象的原因。此外, 实验二采用回忆测试发现：自我参照对不同效价的情绪性记忆定向遗忘产生了不同影响, 而自我提升(self-enhancement)动机在其中起着重要的调节作用。