Hypnosis and Memory: The Effects of Emotional Arousal

Abstract

Thirty-four undergraduate volunteers (19 women and 15 men), divided into two groups of 17 subjects each, observed a complex visual display made up of a number of common objects and eight nonsense syllables. The subjects observed the display for 2 minutes and were instructed to memorize the nonsense syllables in the time available. Following this memorization period the experimental group received an emotionally arousing message, and after a 40-minute delay the group was questioned about the nonsense syllables and the other objects in the display. Forty-eight hours later the experimental group was requestioned under hypnosis. The procedures were the same for the control group with the exception that the message they received was a neutral and innocuous one. Despite the fact that the subjects in the experimental group were emotionally aroused, the results showed no significant differences between the two groups for either memory or incidental memory following the 40-minute delay or following hypnosis 48 hours later. Implications for theories of hyperamnesia and memory and emotion and the need for nonhypnotic ways of memory enhancement are discussed.