Beyond arousal: Valence, dominance, and motivation in the lateralization of affective memory

• Published in: Motivation and emotion 2015-04, Vol.39 (2), p.282-292
• Main Authors: Mneimne, Malek, Wellington, Robin, Walton, Kate E., Powers, Alice S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anger; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Memory; Motivation; Original Paper; Personality and Social Psychology; Psychology; Psychopathology
• ISSN: 0146-7239; 1573-6644
• DOI: 10.1007/s11031-014-9446-x

Studies have found that memory for the affective dimensions of valence and arousal are lateralized in left and right hemispheric systems, yet much heterogeneity has been demonstrated across studies. We explored possible reasons for this heterogeneity by assessing the lateralization of the affective dimensions of valence and dominance and correlations with behavioral inhibition and activation sensitivities (BIS/BAS). Seventy-one females viewed words differing in valence and dominance presented to each hemisphere, completed immediate recall and recognition tests, and the BIS/BAS scales. We found evidence of both valence- and dominance-based patterns of memory lateralization, with relatively more evidence for valence-based patterns. Our analyses also revealed that BIS sensitivity was associated with a valence-based pattern of recall lateralization. Our findings reveal the utility of dominance and BIS sensitivity in accounting for heterogeneity in findings in the literature on affective memory lateralization, highlight potential processes underlying affective memory biases, and can inform models of the hemispheric lateralization of emotion in the context of memory.