Cognitive (Effect of Emotion on Thinking and Decision Making) Studies Flashcards
McGaugh and Cahill
Aim:
- determine the role of adrenaline on formation of emotional memories
Procedure:
- subjects divided into 2 groups and shown 12 slides with similar stories, but that had different emotional impacts
- used propranolol (beta-blocker) to stop heart from responding with fight-or-flight and limiting stress response and adrenaline
- first story was about a woman and son visiting father in hospital
- second story was the child involved in a car accident and having to go to hospital
- half of each group’s participants were given placebo and half given propranolol pill before story
- returned after one week and given a free recall test
Results and Conclusions:
- those with the more emotionally arousing story had better recall
- those who received propranolol in emotional story condition performed the same as those with non-emotional story (did not show heightened memory as those with adrenaline response)
- suggests that adrenaline can improve memory as the increased alertness led to more accurate storage of story
Strengths and Limitations:
- establishes cause-and-effect relationship
- artificial, lacks ecological validity
- has been applied to treatment of PTSD
