Mood and Memory Under Natural Conditions: Evidence for Mood Incongruent Recall

The effect of mood on memory was studied under natural conditions in 2 field quasi-experiments. In both, Ss in happy moods recalled autobiographical memories that were more negative than were memories recalled by subjects in bad moods, a phenomenon termed mood incongruent recall. Three subsequent la...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 1990-08, Vol.59 (2), p.321-336
Main Authors: Parrott, W. Gerrod, Sabini, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autobiography
Biological and medical sciences
Emotional States
Emotions
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Learning. Memory
Memory
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Social research
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Summary:The effect of mood on memory was studied under natural conditions in 2 field quasi-experiments. In both, Ss in happy moods recalled autobiographical memories that were more negative than were memories recalled by subjects in bad moods, a phenomenon termed mood incongruent recall. Three subsequent laboratory experiments are reported that suggest that mood incongruent recall is a reliable phenomenon, occurring when subjects are unaware that their moods are relevant to the experiment. Mood incongruent recall is hypothesized to be related to mood regulation. The implications of these findings for the relation between mood and memory, for mood congruent recall, for laboratory mood inductions, and for self-regulation of mood and depression are discussed.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.59.2.321