Arousal and memory

Abstract The following study was designed to see if the relationship between arousal and recall interval is sufficient to account for data on differential recall of arousing and nonarousing events. Similar studies allegedly support a Freudian model of unconsciously motivated repression. Skin conduct...
Ausführliche Beschreibung

Abstract The following study was designed to see if the relationship between arousal and recall interval is sufficient to account for data on differential recall of arousing and nonarousing events. Similar studies allegedly support a Freudian model of unconsciously motivated repression. Skin conductance was continuously recorded while 96 undergraduates attempted tasks similar to those which appear in tests of intelligence. Ss attempted the tasks under one of eight experimentally induced conditions designed to produce various levels of arousal. The experimental manipulations, which were intended to create arousal through varying amounts of threat to a person’s self-esteem, were not successful in producing differential arousal in high and low threat conditions; all conditions were highly arousing to the Ss. Therefore, the design was not suitable for its intended purpose. There was, however, a significant and replicated relationship between the number of sessions of testing S agreed to attend and arousal across the temporal duration of the first session (p <.05 for males and p <.01 for females). Ausführliche Beschreibung