Effect of emotion on memory for words and their context. Issue 8 (27th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Riegel, Monika; Wierzba, Małgorzata; Grabowska, Anna; Jednoróg, Katarzyna; Marchewka, Artur
• Is Part Of: Journal of comparative neurology. Volume 524:Issue 8(2016)
• Page Start: 1636
• Page End: 1645
• Publication Date: 2015-11-27
• Subjects: verbal episodic memory -- emotion -- affective dimensions -- basic emotions -- words -- sentences -- context -- unitization -- relational memory -- integrative associative memory -- social relevance -- communicative context; Comparative neurobiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/cne.23928
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9967

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Emotion influences various cognitive processes, such as memory. This beneficial or detrimental effect can be studied with verbal material, yet in this case a broad term of context has to be taken into account. The present work reviews recent literature and proposes that traditional differentiation between semantic and environmental context should be replaced with a novel conceptualization of hippocampus‐dependent relational memory and item memory (related to the activations of cuneus and left amygdala). Additionally, instead of list‐learning paradigms, words should be memorized in the context of sentences or stories for better control over their meaning. The recent evidence suggests that of particular importance for ecological validity in research paradigms is the presence of communicative and social context of verbal material related to such processes as theory of mind and brain activations in temporoparietal junction, posterior cingulate cortex, and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. We propose that studying memory of verbal material within context gives a better understanding of enhancing and impairing effects of emotion as well as of the underlying brain mechanisms. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1636–1645, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Abstract : Emotion influences memory of verbal material and its context. We review recent literature and propose studying this relationship within a novel conceptualization of hippocampus‐dependent relational memory and item memory. For ecological validity of the studies, words should be memorized within sentences or stories, and their social context should be taken into account.