Chilling and Blurring Negative Memories: An Experimental Memory Training Study

The present study examined how broadening attentional scope (BAS) during acquisition and working memory interference (WMI) during reconsolidation could influence memory formation.

A total of 95 participants were randomly assigned to inactive control (n=30), BAS (n=33), and WMI (n=32) groups. While watching a traumatic film, the participants in the BAS group were instructed to allocate their attention to the peripheral details of the film, while participants in the WMI group performed a spatial working memory task. Memory vividness and emotionality were assessed before and after the intervention using a visual analog scale, and valence, arousal, and dominance were measured by self-assessment manikin immediately after watching the film. Moreover, all participants were asked to record their intrusive memory for 3 days after the experiment. The statistical software package SPSS was used to make group comparisons.

Our results suggested that interfering with visuospatial working memory during retrieving emotionally valenced memories could significantly reduce the vividness of mental images from pre- to post-assessments (P=0.004). However, we found no significant differences between the three groups regarding emotionality, arousal, dominance, and the number of intrusive memories.

Participants in the WMI group outperformed in blurring the negatively valenced memory at the posttest. In contrast with our primary assumption, BAS made no significant changes compared to the other two groups. Future studies with larger sample sizes and objective measurements may provide additional evidence on the efficacy of these methods, specifically in the context of clinical implications.