Introduction to Human Memory: Emotion and Memory, Winter 2004-05

Final papers are available outside Karen Kerbs' office (332 Baxter).

Psychology 130
Winter Term 2005
Instructor: Tony Buchanan
Office 207 Baxter
Text: Reisberg & Hertel Memory and Emotion.

The objectives of this course will be to introduce the concepts and findings of the study of the intersection of emotion and memory from psychological and biological perspectives. The textbook is Memory and Emotion by Daniel Reisberg and Paula Hertel (Oxford, 2004), available in the bookstore. There will also be additional readings that will be distributed throughout the term.

Grades will depend on participation in a group experiment (25% of grade), a class debate (25% of grade), and a short paper (< 6 pages, 12 pt font, 1.5 spacing; 50%) on a topic related to the interplay of emotion and memory (either something not covered in class or a class topic that you'd like to explore further). Paper is due on March 10.

Emotional Memory Experiment

The goal of this experiment is to create some manipulation to enhance memory in your fellow students. Each group will present a series of 20 words to the class.
The group should devise some manipulation (introduced either before, during, or after presenation of to-be-remembered stimuli). The other students' memory for the 20 items will be tested during the next class period.
The group whose manipulation was most effective in producing lasting memories (based on percentage of 20 items remembered on average) in their classmates will win an exorbitant prize. Groups will be formed by a sign-up sheet during the first class.

Each person in the group should write-up a one-page summary of what she or he did in the group to prepare for the experiment. This should include reference to articles read in which the ideas for the manipulation were obtained. The write-up should take the form of an abstract of a scientific article including a hypothesis that will be tested.

Debates

Debate #1: Is the amygdala a locus of fear? (January 20) Group A's position: LeDoux and colleagues are wrong. Group B's position: McGaugh and colleagues are wrong.

Cahill, Weinberger, Roozendaal, & McGaugh (1999). Is the amygdala a locus of 'conditioned fear'? Some questions and caveats. Neuron, 23, 227-228.

Fanselow & LeDoux (1999). Why we think plasticity underlying pavlovian fear conditioning occurs in the basolateral amygdala. Neuron, 23, 229-231.

Debate #2: Is repressed memory a reality? (February 17) Group A's position: Yes. Group B's position: No.

Williams, L.M. (1994). Recall of childhood trauma: a prospective study of women's memories of child sexual abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 1167-1176.

Loftus, E.F. et al. (1994). Forgetting sexual trauma: What does it mean when 38% forget? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 1177-1181.

Williams, L.M. (1994). What does it mean to forget child sexual abuse? A reply to Loftus. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 1182-1186.

Debate #3: Do older people show a positive bias in memory? (March 3) Group A's position: Yes. Group B's position: No.

Denburg, N. et al. (2003). Evidence for preserved emotional memory in normal older persons. Emotion, 3, 239-253.

Charles, S. et al. (2003). Aging and emotional memory: the forgettable nature of negative images for older adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 132, 310-324.

Debate & Experiment Groups

Debate&ExperimentInfo

Schedule of topics and readings.

January

Jan 6 * The basic science of emotional memory Chapter 1

Jan 13 * The neurobiology of emotional memory Chapter 2

Jan 20 * Emotion and pre-memory cognition
* Anderson&Phelps * Ohman et al

Jan 27 * Stress versus Emotion and Memory Chapter 3 * de Quervain et al * Buchanan & Lovallo

February

Feb 3 * Flashbulb Memories * Schmolck et al * Levine & Bluck

Feb 10 * Forensic Emotional Memory Chapter 10 * Loftus & Palmer

Feb 17 * Repression and the recovered memory debate Chapter 4 * Wade et al

* Group 3 recall and Debate #2

Feb 24 * Psychopathology and emotional memory Chapters 5 & 6

* Group 4 encoding

March

Mar 3 * Memory for emotion throughout the lifespan Chapters 8 & 9

* Group 4 recall and Debate #3

Mar 10 * Bumpy Autobiographical Memories * Rubin & Schulkind * Berntsen & Rubin

* Experiment Results and Gala Award Ceremony

Paper Due

* Note that late papers will be penalized 5 points per day. The paper is worth 50 points.