Abstract:
Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) experiments show that the act of retrieving some recently encoded items from a given conceptual category leads to greater forgetting of competing items from that same category. However, RIF studies using emotional stimuli have produced mixed results, perhaps due to the reinstatement of arousal or negative affect during retrieval practice. To induce forgetting of negative episodic memories more indirectly, we examined if retrieving neutral semantic memories leads to RIF of related negative memories. In two experiments, participants studied eight categorized lists comprised of an equal number of negative and neutral words (Experiment 1) or neutral words preceded by neutral or negative images (Experiment 2). To avoid re-exposing individuals to negative material during retrieval practice, participants then performed a semantic memory retrieval task in which they generated (i.e., completed word-stems for) new neutral words from half of the studied categories. We found that semantic retrieval, or word generation, induced forgetting of recently studied words irrespective of their emotional valence or original emotional context. Additionally, across both experiments, less successful word generation was associated with stronger RIF effects. In Experiment 2, the magnitude of RIF was also correlated with higher subjective ratings of retrieval effort during word generation. Together, these results suggest that even when retrieving neutral semantic memories, effortful retrieval may enhance inhibitory processes that lead to forgetting of both neutral and negative episodic memories.
摘要:
检索诱导的遗忘(RIF)实验表明,从给定的概念类别中检索一些最近编码的项目的行为会导致更大的遗忘来自同一类别的竞争项目。然而,使用情绪刺激的RIF研究产生了不同的结果,可能是由于在检索实践中恢复了唤醒或负面影响。为了更间接地诱发负面情景记忆的遗忘,我们检查了检索中性语义记忆是否会导致相关负记忆的RIF。在两个实验中,参与者研究了8个分类列表,这些列表包括相同数量的否定词和中性词(实验1),或者中性词之前有中性或阴性图像(实验2).为了避免在检索实践中重新暴露个人负面材料,然后,参与者执行他们生成的语义记忆检索任务(即,来自一半研究类别的新中性词)的完整词干。我们发现语义检索,或单词生成,诱导遗忘最近研究的单词,而与它们的情绪效价或原始情绪背景无关。此外,在两个实验中,较不成功的单词生成与较强的RIF效应相关。在实验2中,RIF的大小也与单词生成过程中检索工作的较高主观评分相关。一起,这些结果表明,即使在检索中性语义记忆时,费力的检索可能会增强抑制过程,从而导致忘记中性和消极的情景记忆。