Emotional valence of self-defining memories in older adults: A longitudinal study

Kouhei Masumoto; Koji Sato; Kazuhiro Harada; Kenta Yamamoto; Mariko Shiozaki

doi:10.1016/j.concog.2022.103431

Emotional valence of self-defining memories in older adults: A longitudinal study

Conscious Cogn. 2022 Nov:106:103431. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103431. Epub 2022 Nov 3.

Authors

Kouhei Masumoto¹, Koji Sato², Kazuhiro Harada³, Kenta Yamamoto⁴, Mariko Shiozaki⁵

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan. Electronic address: masumoto@people.kobe-u.ac.jp.
² Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan. Electronic address: sato712@people.kobe-u.ac.jp.
³ Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan. Electronic address: harada@harbor.kobe-u.ac.jp.
⁴ Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan. Electronic address: yamamoto@harbor.kobe-u.ac.jp.
⁵ Department of Applied Sociology, Kindai University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 Japan. Electronic address: shiozaki@socio.kindai.ac.jp.

PMID: 36335808
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103431

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the pleasantness bias and fading affect bias in self-defining memories (SDMs) and to examine the relationship between their emotional valence of SDMs and cognitive function and serotonin transporter polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR) with a prospective longitudinal method. Ninety-two older adults recalled SDMs twice at an interval of one year (T1 and T2). The results showed a pleasantness bias and a fading affect bias in SDMs. The higher the working memory was, the higher the vividness of SDMs and the higher the concordance rate of SDMs between T1 and T2. Meanwhile, cognitive performance had no effect on the emotional valence of SDMs. Additionally, the repeatedly recalled SDMs in the S/S allele carriers of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism changed with a lower negative valence at T2 than at T1. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism may be a plasticity factor that predicts positive outcomes in positive situations.

Keywords: 5-HTTLPR; Autobiographical memory; Older adult; Serotonin; Working memory.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Emotions
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Memory, Episodic*
Mental Recall
Prospective Studies