Tunnel memories for autobiographical events: Central details are remembered more frequently from shocking than from happy experiences

In three experiments, undergraduates recorded as many details as possible for autobiographical memories of highly positive and highly negative events in their lives. Experiment 1 replicated earlier findings for memories of highly negative events: Central details were recorded more frequently than peripheral details, and a weak correlation was found between emotional intensity and number of central details. In Experiment 2, undergraduates recorded details of memories of both their happiest and their most shocking events. Central details dominated over peripheral details only in memories of shocking events. This finding was replicated in Experiment 3. Recording memory details affected the participants’ moods and generated a mood congruence effect in a subsequent recall of word-cued memories. The findings suggest that tunnel memories—enhanced memory for the central details of an event—are limited to emotionally negative memories. The findings contradict expectations derived from the notion of repression.

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