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Avoidance-motivational intensity modulated the effect of negative emotion on working memory
Tianya Hou1, Yawei Xie1, Jianguo Zhang1
1Faculty of Psychology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China.
Royal Society Open Science
|June 9, 2023
Summary
High avoidance motivation in negative emotions impairs working memory manipulation. This effect was observed in both verbal and spatial tasks, but not in memory maintenance.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Affective Science
Background:
- The relationship between negative emotion and working memory is complex and debated.
- Existing research has not consistently differentiated between working memory processes (maintenance vs. manipulation).
- The role of motivational intensity, particularly avoidance motivation, in this relationship requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how avoidance-motivational intensity modulates the impact of negative emotion on verbal and spatial working memory.
- To distinguish the effects of negative emotion on the maintenance versus manipulation components of working memory.
- To explore the influence of different levels of avoidance motivation under negative emotional states.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments utilized modified delayed match-to-sample paradigms.
- Experiment 1 assessed verbal working memory manipulation (character reordering).
- Experiment 2 assessed spatial working memory manipulation (mental rotation) under varying emotional states.
Main Results:
- Negative emotion specifically impaired the manipulation process, not the maintenance process, of working memory.
- High avoidance-motivated negative emotional states significantly impaired manipulation processes for both verbal and spatial working memory.
- No significant impairment was found in low avoidance-motivated negative conditions compared to neutral conditions.
Conclusions:
- Negative emotional states characterized by high avoidance-motivational intensity detrimentally affect the manipulation of verbal and spatial working memory.
- The findings support theories linking affect, motivation, and cognitive efficiency.
- Distinguishing between working memory processes is crucial for understanding emotion-cognition interactions.
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