Differential effects of induced mood on the recall of positive, negative and neutral words

Abstract

Previous investigations have consistently found differential effects of induced moods on the accessibility of personal memories differing in hedonic tone. Findings for effects of retrieval mood on recall of verbal material have been less consistent. This study examined the effect of induced mood on the recall of previously learned personality trait words. Trait words were presented in normal mood and recall tested in elated or depressed mood. More positive words were recalled in elated than in depressed mood. Conversely, more negative words were recalled in depressed than in elated mood. There was no effect of mood on the recall of neutral words. Subjects in whom the mood induction procedures had failed to affect mood substantially did not show differential word recall. Differential effects of retrieval mood on recall of verbal material can be shown, but the nature of the material may be important. It may be necessary for the material to have been differentially associated with mood states in the subjects's life experience. This suggestion is discussed within Bower's (1981) associative network theory of mood and memory, and the implications for models of depression are considered.