False Memory For Complex Emotional Events: Moderation Of Central/Peripheral Information Type

Current studies on memory for complex emotional events suggest that arousal enhances long-term memory for central and peripheral information. This study aims to use Cahill and McGaugh's (1995) slideshow procedure and a new recognition test to investigate the relationship between emotional arousal and true/false memories moderated by information type (central and peripheral). One week after they had watched either emotional arousal and neutral version of the procedure. Results revealed that the arousal version of the story leads to better memory retrieval of true peripheral information and false central information. Possible implications of these results in eye-witness study were discussed.