High Arousal Affect and Working Memory in Younger Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Kircher Julie, Cerino Eric, Mogle Jacqueline, Charles Susan
Primary Institution: The Pennsylvania State University
Hypothesis
Moments of high negative or positive affect will be related to poorer cognitive task performance, and age will moderate the relationship between affect and cognition.
Conclusion
Higher levels of reported negative and positive affect are related to worse momentary working memory, especially in younger adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Higher levels of reported negative affect are related to worse working memory.
- Higher levels of reported positive affect are also related to worse working memory.
- Younger age is associated with worse working memory as positive affect increases.
Takeaway
When people feel really strong emotions, like being super happy or really upset, it can make it harder for them to remember things, especially if they are younger.
Methodology
Participants completed the n-back task and reported their affect across five assessments over 14 days.
Participant Demographics
Community residents aged 25-65 years (Mage = 46.5).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .02; p = .04
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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