The effects of mood, word type and word quality on memory

Abstract

Sixty subjects were presented with word lists comprising an equal number of pleasant and unpleasant words. A treatment group of 30 subjects selected at random from the 60 previously underwent a depressed mood induction procedure, while the other 30 subjects acted as controls. In both these groups subjects were shown either a word list consisting of pleasant and unpleasant adjectives, (e.g. joyful, wretched) or a word list composed of pleasant and unpleasant abstract nouns, (e.g. rapture, dejection). Only the subjects whose mood was depressed by the mood induction procedure and who were shown adjectives recalled more unpleasant than pleasant words. The other three groups recalled more pleasant than unpleasant words. No such effect for mood was found with a recognition test. The results and possible implications are discussed.