The Influence of Attentional Control, Anxiety and Emotion on Intrusive Memory in Traumatic Individual

Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2013, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (1) : 224-228.

PDF(429 KB)
PDF(429 KB)
Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2013, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (1) : 224-228.

The Influence of Attentional Control, Anxiety and Emotion on Intrusive Memory in Traumatic Individual

Author information +
History +

Abstract

This study aimed to investigated the influence of attentional control, anxiety, as well as emotion on intrusive memory in traumatic individual. In the first experiment study, a total of 26 undergraduates took part in the experiment to evaluate the physiological arousal and emotion change after seeing the traumatic film of Road Traffic Accident(RTA).At the beginning of the experiment, all subjects saw the traumatic film, at the same time, through recording the physiological index of skin temperature (ST),respiration(RSP), skin conductance ( SC ), heart rate ( HR ) and Blood Volume Pulse(BVP) to examine the physiological arousal induced by the film. Besides, through evaluating the emotion of anger, surprise, happy, calm, disgust, sad before and after the film to examine the emotion change induced by the film. The findings indicated that the film of RTA can effectively induced the physiological and emotional change, so it can serve as traumatic event. In the second quasi- experiment, 95 undergraduates took part in the questionnaire survey, at last, 83 effective questionnaire was analysed. Firstly, All subjects filled in the Attentional Control Scale(ACS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), before measurement of Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scales(PANAS-R). Then, subjects saw the traumatic film, after seeing the film, subjects completed the aftertest of PANAS-R, and the experimenter explained the recording method of Intrusion Diary. After two days, subjects returned Intrusion Diary, and completed the questionnaire. According to these scores, attentional control was negatively correlated with intrusive memory, and attentional control could negatively forecast intrusive memory(β=-0.475). Meanwhile, intrusive memory was positively correlated with state anxiety, trait anxiety and before measurement of negative emotion, and before measurement of negative emotion could positively forecast intrusive memory(β=0.374). Besides, attentional control was negatively correlated with state anxiety, trait anxiety, and was positively correlated with positive emotion before the film. State anxiety and trait anxiety was positively correlated with negative emotion before the film, and was negatively correlated with positive emotion before the film. According to comparing all scale scores of high and low attentional control groups, the two groups had prominent difference on state anxiety, trait anxiety and negative emotion before the film.

Key words

intrusive memory / attentional control / anxiety / emotion / trauma

Cite this article

Download Citations
The Influence of Attentional Control, Anxiety and Emotion on Intrusive Memory in Traumatic Individual[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2013, 36(1): 224-228
PDF(429 KB)

Accesses

Citation

Detail

Sections
Recommended

/