Previous studies have shown that reframing negative events, such as finding the positive meaning in the experience, correlates with fewer depressive symptoms and quicker recovery from stress. However, there is limited research on how cognitive reappraisal is effective over long periods and how positive framing of past memories can regulate emotions and cause adaptive changes in memory representation. Speer and colleagues (2021) investigate whether focusing on the positive aspects while recalling negative memories leads to updates in memory representation and how finding the positive meaning in past negative memories affects emotions and the content of the memory over time.
The study examined how positively elaborating on negative autobiographical memories influences emotional responses and memory reconsolidation over time through four related experiments. The first three experiments investigated whether positive reframing of negative memories could alter emotional responses and memory over time.
In Experiment 1, 102 participants described 12 negative life events and rated their emotional intensity and vividness. The experimental groups were assigned to focus on the positive, negative, or neutral aspects of the memory, while the distraction group completed a spatial task. Participants recalled the same memories and rated their emotions again one week later. Experiment 2 built on this by testing the durability of emotional and memory changes over two months with 91 participants who described 10 negative events, either focusing on the positive (positive group) or simply recalling them (control group). Experiment 3 explored the timing of memory reconsolidation using 32 negative cues with 72 participants, comparing emotional and memory changes after recall immediately, after 24 hours, or without a reminder.
In Experiment 4, Speer and colleagues (2021) used fMRI to explore the neural mechanisms that correlated to memory updating. The 32 participants completed two tasks while undergoing fMRI scanning. In the memory recollection task, the participants recalled 32 negative memories and rated their feelings and emotional intensity. Afterwards, the memory elaboration task included positive manipulation in which the participants were prompted to elaborate positively (Positive group) or naturally recall (Control group) the negative memories.
Across all four experiments, the results consistently demonstrate that finding positive meaning in negative memories increases positive emotions and content in future memory recalls. Furthermore, Speer and colleagues (2021) found that regardless of the varying time frames in which the memories were recalled (from 24 hours to two months), the effects remained persistent, showcasing the effectiveness of the strategy. Moreover, fMRI data revealed that adaptive memory updating is associated with changes in brain activity patterns in the hippocampus and ventral striatum. Specifically, when participants reinterpreted a negative memory more positively, their brain activity became less similar across repeated memory retrievals. This shift, known as pattern dissimilarity, suggests that the memory was being updated rather than simply recalled in its original form.
For the general public, the findings highlight the importance of utilizing positive emotion-focused strategies in the face of adversity. For example, when children recall a negative experience, parents can motivate them to focus on the positive aspects of the events to transform negative memories and promote positive emotions.
Moreover, the study’s results open future directions for EPIC’s research, as we can explore the effects of positive elaboration after failing to reach a goal and how that affects one’s motivation to persist. For instance, when a student does not reach a specific mark after an exam, how does the cognitive reappraisal strategy make a difference in their performance on their next exam and their motivation to improve in learning?
To learn more about this study, access the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26906-4
This post is written by Eliza Hong.
Reference:
Speer, M. E., Ibrahim, S., Schiller, D., & Delgado, M. R. (2021). Finding positive meaning in memories of negative events adaptively updates memory. Nature communications, 12(1), 6601. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26906-4
