Music cues impact the emotionality but not richness of episodic memory retrieval

Exploring fonts as retrieval cues in text-based learning

A growing body of research focuses on optimizing retrieval processes to help learners recall information from memory. The context-dependent memory effect suggests that information retrieval is more effective when the retrieval context matches the learning context. This phenomenon has been investigated in a variety of study materials and samples. However, there is a research gap in which this effect has not yet been investigated with font. Therefore, the font may act as a contextual retrieval cue, making it easier for learners to recall the presented information. In this context, the present experiment assumes that a match between the font used during learning (encoding phase) and that used during testing (decoding phase) improves retrieval processes and thus learning performance, while a mismatch has a negative effect. To test this assumption, 130 university students were randomly assigned to one condition of a two (font of learning texts: Haettenschweiler vs. Times New Roman) × two (font of learning questions: Haettenschweiler vs. Times New Roman) between-subjects design. Contrary to expectations, using the same font for encoding and decoding did not improve learning performance. Furthermore, learners did not report higher levels of mental effort when they had to work on learning questions presented in the same font as the learning texts. Although the font of the learning text is the most salient feature, it does not seem to serve as an effective retrieval cue in text-based learning.

Affective music during episodic memory recollection modulates subsequent false emotional memory traces: an fMRI study

Music is a powerful medium that influences our emotions and memories. Neuroscience research has demonstrated music's ability to engage brain regions associated with emotion, reward, motivation, and autobiographical memory. While music's role in modulating emotions has been explored extensively, our study investigates whether music can alter the emotional content of memories. Building on the theory that memories can be updated upon retrieval, we tested whether introducing emotional music during memory recollection might introduce false emotional elements into the original memory trace. We developed a 3-day episodic memory task with separate encoding, recollection, and retrieval phases. Our primary hypothesis was that emotional music played during memory recollection would increase the likelihood of introducing novel emotional components into the original memory. Behavioral findings revealed two key outcomes: 1) participants exposed to music during memory recollection were more likely to incorporate novel emotional components congruent with the paired music valence, and 2) memories retrieved 1 day later exhibited a stronger emotional tone than the original memory, congruent with the valence of the music paired during the previous day's recollection. Furthermore, fMRI results revealed altered neural engagement during story recollection with music, including the amygdala, anterior hippocampus, and inferior parietal lobule. Enhanced connectivity between the amygdala and other brain regions, including the frontal and visual cortex, was observed during recollection with music, potentially contributing to more emotionally charged story reconstructions. These findings illuminate the interplay between music, emotion, and memory, offering insights into the consequences of infusing emotional music into memory recollection processes.

Effects of affectively-loaded childhood-related photos from the IAPS on the induction of involuntary autobiographical memories in young and older adults

Objective

Aging produces changes in emotional reactivity and the retrieval of autobiographical memories. The main aim of this study was to assess age-related differences, comparing emotion induction and autobiographical memory recall using photos from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) that are thematically related to childhood.

Method

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, with the participation of 327 individuals (168 young adults and 159 older adults) with no cognitive impairment and aged between 18 and 88 years. We showed the participants a set of five pictures from the IAPS, the affective content of which was related to childhood. Two of these were considered to be positive images, two negative and one neutral, according to the valence of these pictures in the literature. The main study variables were the reactions associated with emotional valence or pleasure, arousal and dominance, after viewing the photos, and the autobiographical memories retrieved by the participants.

Results

The younger adults retrieved a larger number of memories than their older counterparts. As regards the responses to the five affective pictures (IAPS) on valence, arousal and dominance (IAPS), statistically significant differences were only found for pictures 2,345 (BlackEye), with a more positive valence in the group of older adults and higher arousal in the young ones, and 2,312 (Mother), with a more positive valence in the group of older persons. A greater number of memories were retrieved for the photos that generated higher levels of pleasure, greater relaxation and greater emotional control.

Conclusion

Of the variables that may be associated with the elicitation of involuntary autobiographical memories, the most significant are age and a positive stimulus.