The effects of mood induction and situational-emotional load on false memory based on misinformation paradigm with emphasis on controlling emotional bias, attention, working memory and emotional factors

Introduction: According to previous research, an individual's mood affects selective attention and false memory, but the answer to the question of which type of mood (negative or positive) and emotional situation (negative or positive) creates the highest false memory requires further research. Aim: The present study was conducted to determine the extent and manner of the effect of mood induction and situational-emotional load on false memory based on the misinformation paradigm with emphasis on controlling cognitive and emotional factors. Method: The research was conducted with a quasi-experimental block design. Of the students of Kurdistan University in the academic year 2018-2019, 90 subjects (45 girls; age range= 18-33 years) were selected by the recall and voluntary method. The Stroop cognitive assignments, point scanning, n-back and misinformation paradigm, as well as the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24 through one-way and two-way Kruskal-Wallis and U-Mann-Whitney methods. Results: Negative emotional load of the task caused the highest amount of false memory (p=0.001) and the positive emotional load and the lack of emotional load caused the lowest amount of false memory (p=0.001). The type of mood induction did not affect the amount of false memory (p=0.578). The highest false memory was created in association with negative mood induction and negative emotional load of the task and the lowest false memory was created in association with positive mood induction and the task without emotional load (p=0.019). Conclusion: This study shows that the effect of the emotional load of the task on creating false memory is greater than mood induction. It is suggested that in future research, the effects of the emotional load of the task and mood induction on false memory (in two stages of decoding and retrieval) at different arousal levels should be investigated. In addition, the findings of this study should be reviewed to determine the applicability in judicial and clinical settings as well.