Mcgaugh & Cahill (1995)- cognitive- Emotion on One Cognitive Process, Ethical Considerations in the Study of Emotion and Cognition,

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

to study the role of emotion in the creation of memories.

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

Two Groups of participants saw 12 slides that had very different stories.

First group heard a boring story about a woman and her son who paid a visit to the father in a hospital where they observed the hospital staff do a disaster preparation drill with a simulated accident victim.

Second group heard a a more emotional story about a boy who was involved in a car accident where his feet were severed.

Two weeks after participants had to return and recall using memory specific detail of the story. The above procedure was repeated but this time participants in Group 2 were injected with a beta blocker that interferes with adrenaline to prevent the activation of the amygdala which prevents the formation of memory.

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Question 3

Results

Answer 3

Original Study Results
Participants who heard the emotionally arousing story (car accident) had better recall of specific details compared to those who heard the boring story (hospital drill).

The group that heard the emotional story remembered more details and were more accurate in recalling them.

Follow-up Study Results
Participants a beta-blocker to block amygdala activation showed no improvement in memory recall, even after hearing the emotional story.

Both groups performed similarly to the group who heard the boring story, suggesting the amygdala plays a key role in enhancing memory through emotional arousal.

Question 4

Amygdala

Answer 4

The amygdala is a part of the brain responsible for processing emotions, such as fear and anger, and is involved in the formation of emotional memories. It is activated in usually traumatic situations.