Mood induction and the priming of semantic memory in a lexical decision task: asymmetric effects of elation and depression

A number of predictions derived from G. H. Bower's associative network model of mood & memory ("Mood and Memory," American Psychologist, 1981, 36, 129-148) were investigated by inducing elated, neutral, or depressed moods in different groups of Ss (total = 36 undergraduates). A mood-evaluation checklist verified the success of the mood-induction procedure. While in induced moods, Ss performed a lexical decision task in which the target stimuli were positive or negative trait adjs, neutral nontrait adjs, or nonwords. As predicted, Ss in elated moods showed facilitated processing of positive target words relative to processing of negative & neutral target words. Contrary to prediction, Ss in depressed moods did not respond faster to negative target words than they did to positive target words. Following the lexical decision task Ss were administered an incidental free recall test for the words presented during the lexical decision task. Contrary to prediction, the three mood groups recalled similar numbers of words for each type of word target category. The asymmetric effects of elation & depression on memory that were observed in this study & a number of other studies are discussed. 1 Table, 12 References. Modified HA