University of Twente Student Theses
Memories and emotions in the Dutch population : a study of the relationship between memories and the intensity of positive and negative emotions
Miro, Christina (2018) Memories and emotions in the Dutch population : a study of the relationship between memories and the intensity of positive and negative emotions.
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| Abstract: | The present study examines the relationship between memories and positive and negative emotions using memories of the first measurement moment of a 1-year longitudinal study in the Dutch population. The sample, consisting of 2065 participants (female 53%, male 47%) with an age range between 18 and 92 years (M age = 57.6; SD age = 16.4), had an over-representation of older adults. Participants were asked to describe three memories by using the Self-Defining Memory Test (SDMT). In total, they provided 6158 memories at the first measurement moment of the study. Their memories were reliably coded for valence and content. First, the relationship between the age of a memory and the evoked intensive emotions has been examined. Second, the relationship between vividness of a memory and the evoked intensive emotions has been studied. Then, a comparison of these relationships between the positive (N=2187) and negative valence (N=2266) of a memory was made. Finally, seven content categories of a memory have been compared to the extent of positive and negative emotions. The results showed that the intensity of emotions was not influenced by time as expected. Also after a long time, people felt intensive emotions during the recollection of a past event. Vivid memories, however, had a positive relationship with intensive emotions. Especially, positive emotions have been more intensive than negative ones, when the memory was described as vivid. Moreover, participants felt more positive about experiences of free time activities and more negative about experiences of health issues, in comparison to other content categories. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/76362 |
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