Remembering in the Real World: Effects of Emotion

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Memory is a critical human feat-relevant to how we view ourselves, and how we make decisions that affect our future. The centrality of memory to our sense of self and well-being gives it fundamental importance as a phenomenon for scientific investigation. It is well known that many experiences we have are not remembered. What factors influence the strength and fidelity of our memories? Evidence suggests that emotion is one key factor. However, the effects of emotion on memory have largely been studied using laboratory settings (e.g., using studied and retrieved words or pictures). Outside of the laboratory, our autobiographical experiences are complex and multi-sensory and they unfold in time and space. In spite of the frequency of emotional autobiographical memories in our lives, there is little empirical research on this type of remembering, relative to laboratory-based studies. The aim of the proposed research program is to fill this gap in the literature, by examining how emotional autobiographical memories are remembered relative to neutral ones. More specifically, this research will address key questions about what types of details are remembered from emotional experiences and whether those details are accurate. In doing so, this work aims to adjudicate between two views that dominate the field. One view suggests that emotion enhances memory for an event. Another view suggests that while some aspects of an emotional experience are enhanced in memory, namely those that are `central' to the experience, the remaining details are more likely to be forgotten. In addition to `paper and pencil' tests of autobiographical memory, brain imaging (i.e., functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; fMRI), will be used to investigate how emotional autobiographical memories are represented in the brain, namely by comparing patterns of activation when individuals remember emotional versus neutral autobiographical memories. Key neural circuitry involved in memory will be examined, particularly a region called the hippocampus. A high-resolution version of fMRI, will allow us to `zoom in' on this structure, to examine its contribution in fine detail. This research stands not only to provide fundamental knowledge about the interplay between emotion and memory, it can also provide a much-needed bridge between the science of laboratory and real-life phenomena. Accordingly, this work has great potential to inform theoretical models of emotional memory that remain highly relevant to the fields of cognition, cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience. Additionally, the research program proposed here will equip Canadian HQP with a robust and multifaceted skill set to fuel their academic trajectory.