Spreading activation in emotional memory networks and the cumulative effect of somatic markers

dc.contributor.authorFoster, Paul S.en
dc.contributor.authorHubbard, Tyleren
dc.contributor.authorCampbell, Ransom W.en
dc.contributor.authorPoole, Jonathanen
dc.contributor.authorPridmore, Michaelen
dc.contributor.authorBell, Chrisen
dc.contributor.authorHarrison, David W.en
dc.contributor.departmentPsychologyen
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-07T12:31:45Zen
dc.date.available2017-01-07T12:31:45Zen
dc.date.issued2016-07-15en
dc.description.abstractThe theory of spreading activation proposes that the activation of a semantic memory node may spread along bidirectional associative links to other related nodes. Although this theory was originally proposed to explain semantic memory networks, a similar process may be said to exist with episodic or emotional memory networks. The Somatic Marker hypothesis proposes that remembering an emotional memory activates the somatic sensations associated with the memory. An integration of these two models suggests that as spreading activation in emotional memory networks increases, a greater number of associated somatic markers would become activated. This process would then result in greater changes in physiological functioning. We sought to investigate this possibility by having subjects recall words associated with sad and happy memories, in addition to a neutral condition. The average ages of the memories and the number of word memories recalled were then correlated with measures of heart rate and skin conductance. The results indicated significant positive correlations between the number of happy word memories and heart rate (r = .384, p = .022) and between the average ages of the sad memories and skin conductance (r = .556, p = .001). Unexpectedly, a significant negative relationship was found between the number of happy word memories and skin conductance (r = -.373, p = .025). The results provide partial support for our hypothesis, indicating that increasing spreading activation in emotional memory networks activates an increasing number of somatic markers and this is then reflected in greater physiological activity at the time of recalling the memories.en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/74006en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.holderThe Author(s)en
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.titleSpreading activation in emotional memory networks and the cumulative effect of somatic markersen
dc.title.serialBrain Informaticsen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Techen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/All T&R Facultyen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Faculty of Health Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Scienceen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Science/COS T&R Facultyen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Science/Psychologyen

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