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Depression, elaboration, and mood congruence: differences between natural and induced mood
S J Kwiatkowski1, S R Parkinson
1Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-1104.
Memory & Cognition
|March 1, 1994
Summary
Naturally depressed individuals showed no difference in target word recall but recalled more negative descriptors. In contrast, induced depression impaired target word recall, highlighting distinct memory effects based on depression type.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Depressed mood is associated with cognitive alterations, particularly in memory.
- Existing research presents mixed findings on mood-congruent memory effects in naturally versus induced depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential effects of naturally occurring versus induced depressed mood on memory recall.
- To examine recall of semantically unrelated target words and valenced descriptor words.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted comparing naturally depressed and nondepressed individuals, and induced-depressed and nondepressed individuals using the Velten Mood Induction Procedure.
- Participants recalled target words and associated descriptor words (negative or neutral).
Main Results:
- Naturally depressed subjects showed no difference in target word recall but recalled more negative descriptors than nondepressed subjects.
- Induced-depressed subjects recalled fewer target words than nondepressed subjects, with no difference in descriptor recall.
Conclusions:
- Naturally depressed and induced-depressed states exhibit distinct patterns of memory recall.
- Mood-congruent recall is more evident in naturally depressed individuals, while induced depression primarily affects general memory performance.