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Updated: May 6, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection
Published on: August 26, 2011
Autobiographical remembering and individual differences in emotional intelligence.
Kohsuke Yamamoto1, Hiroshi Toyota
1Department of Psychology, Nara University of Education, Nara City, Japan. k0hyamamoto@yahoo.co.jp
High emotional intelligence (EI) aids in recalling neutral memories by enhancing retrieval cues. Individuals with high EI better remember details of neutral autobiographical events compared to those with low EI.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Emotional Intelligence (EI) influences cognitive processes.
- Autobiographical memory recall is affected by emotional valence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between individual differences in EI and arousal during autobiographical memory recall.
- To examine how EI affects the characteristics of recalled neutral and emotional memories.
Main Methods:
- 235 participants completed the Japanese version of the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire for EI assessment.
- Participants recalled autobiographical emotional and neutral events.
- The Memory Characteristics Questionnaire (MCQ) assessed recalled memory characteristics.
Main Results:
- High EI individuals rated neutral autobiographical episodes as more vivid (sound, participants, overall memory, doubt/certainty) than low EI individuals.
- No significant differences in memory ratings were found for emotionally positive episodes between high and low EI groups.
- These findings suggest EI modulates memory recall for neutral, but not positive, events.
Conclusions:
- Higher EI is associated with more effective utilization of subtle retrieval cues for neutral autobiographical memories.
- EI may play a role in differentiating memory recall processes based on emotional content.
- Further research can explore the mechanisms linking EI to memory retrieval efficiency.

