Cognitive factors affect emotional and non-emotional memory: roles of dysfunctional attitudes, rumination and mind-wandering

Abstract

Abstract Background Memory deficits are important risk factors and residual symptoms in mental problems, which are often associated with dysfunctional cognitive factors. However, the detailed mechanisms are not fully investigated. The present study explored the effects of dysfunctional attitudes, rumination, and mind-wandering on emotional and non-emotional memory respectively in a non-clinical sample, with the aim to inform the psychopathology of memory impairment influenced by cognitive factors. Methods A total of 123 university students participated in two experiments on emotional memory (Experiment 1) and non-emotional memory (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 involved the Emotional Face Memory Task and Experiment 2 employed the Digital Memory Task. Additionally, participants completed self-report measurements, including Dysfunctional Attitude Scale Form A (DAS-A), Rumination Responses Scale (RRS), Mind Wandering Frequency Scale (MWQ-F), and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results Low-performance accuracy of negative emotional face memory (emotional memory) was significantly associated with rumination, dysfunctional attitudes, and depression. Notably, the dysfunctional attitudes was a significant predictor of negative face memory performance accuracy. Whereas, performance accuracy in digital memory (non-emotional memory) was associated with rumination and mind-wandering, with rumination serving as the independent predictor of digital memory performance accuracy. Conclusions The study indicated that spontaneous thinking (rumination, mind-wandering) is associated with non-emotional memories, and negative thoughts (dysfunctional attitudes, rumination) are related to memories with negative emotional valence. Further, rumination is associated with both types of memory and may be a potential target for intervention of memory deficits in mental problems.