Age-related differences on temporal source memory by using dynamic stimuli: the effects of POV and emotional valence

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have highlighted that temporal source memory can be influenced by factors such as the individual’s age and the emotional valence of the event to be remembered. In this study, we investigated how the different points of view (POVs) from which an event is presented could interact with the relationship between age-related differences and emotional valence on temporal source memory. One hundred and forty-one younger adults (aged 18–30) and 90 older adults (aged 65–74) were presented with a series of emotional videos shot from different POVs (first vs. third-person) in three sessions. In the fourth session, participants were asked to indicate in which session (1, 2, or 3) they viewed each video. The results indicated that the first-person POV amplified the effects of the emotional valence on temporal source memory. Only in this experimental condition, older adults “pushed away” negative stimuli by perceiving them as more distant in time, and “kept closer” positive stimuli by perceiving them as more recent. In comparison, younger adults “kept closer” positive stimuli. These findings add to the existing literature on the positivity effect on temporal source memory and highlighted the importance of considering the POV in relation to the emotional valence.

KEYWORDS:

• Aging
• dynamic stimuli
• point of view
• emotion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 An a priori power-analysis for sample size calculation, using G*Power 3.1, showed that we required N = 24 (large sized effect), N = 48 (medium sized effect), or N = 240 (small sized effect) participants to achieve 95% power with α = 0.05.

2 The CAAV database also provides arousal ratings. In the current study we focused on the role of valence and POV, however arousal could interact with valence in influencing temporal source memory. To explore this possibility, we ran correlation analyses examining the link between arousal and TAI scores on a single-item level. We found that the TAI scores was negatively related to arousal levels both for positive, r(192) = −.13, and negative stimuli, r(192) = −.17, with these two correlation coefficients not statistically differing from each other, z = −0.37, p = .713. Based on this result, we concluded that even if arousal levels affect the TAI scores, this effect is not different between positive and negative stimuli.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.