Muir, K, Brown, C and Madill, A (2015) The fading affect bias: Effects of social disclosure to an interactive versus non-responsive listener. Memory, 23 (6). 829 - 847. ISSN 0965-8211
Abstract
The intensity of negative emotions associated with event memories fades to a greater extent over time than positive emotions (fading affect bias or FAB). In this study, we examine how the presence and behaviour of a listener during social disclosure influences the FAB and the linguistic characteristics of event narratives. Participants recalled pleasant and unpleasant events and rated each event for its emotional intensity. Recalled events were then allocated to one of three experimental conditions: no disclosure, private verbal disclosure without a listener or social disclosure to another participant whose behaviour was experimentally manipulated. Participants again rated the emotional intensity of the events immediately after these manipulations and after a one-week delay. Verbal disclosure alone was not sufficient to enhance the FAB. However, social disclosure increased positive emotional intensity, regardless of the behaviour of the listener. Whilst talking to an interactive listener led unpleasant event memories to decrease in emotional intensity, talking to a non-responsive listener increased their negative emotional intensity. Further, listener behaviour influenced the extent of emotional expression in written event narratives. This study provides original evidence that listener behaviour during social disclosure is an important factor in the effects of social disclosure in the FAB.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2014 Taylor & Francis. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Memory on 27/06/14 available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09658211.2014.931435 |
Keywords: | Autobiographical memory; Emotional intensity; Fading affect bias; LIWC; Social interaction |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 20 Aug 2015 15:07 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jan 2018 19:29 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2014.931435 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis (Routledge) |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/09658211.2014.931435 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:85286 |