In the continuous flow of time, our memories are segmented into distinct episodes that contribute to our personal narrative. The intriguing relationship between emotions and the formation of these memories has become a subject of recent scientific exploration. A recent study from UCLA psychologists suggests that the fluctuation of emotions induced by music plays a pivotal role in shaping separate and enduring memories.Â
Published in Nature Communications, the study utilized music to manipulate the emotions of volunteers engaged in simple computer tasks. The researchers discovered that the ebb and flow of people’s emotions, prompted by music, transformed otherwise neutral experiences into memorable events.Â
Lead author Mason McClay, a doctoral student in psychology at UCLA, explained, “Changes in emotion evoked by music created boundaries between episodes that made it easier for people to remember what they had seen and when they had seen it. We think this finding has great therapeutic promise for helping people with PTSD and depression.”Â
As time progresses, individuals need to categorize information due to its overwhelming volume, and not all of it is useful. Two processes come into play in converting experiences into memories over time: one integrates memories, compressing and linking them into individualized episodes, while the other expands and separates each memory as the experience fades into the past.
The dynamic interplay between integrating and separating memories contributes to the formation of distinct memories, allowing individuals to derive meaning from their experiences and retain information.Â
Corresponding author David Clewett, an assistant professor of psychology at UCLA, likened this process to putting items into boxes for long-term storage. He explained, “When we need to retrieve a piece of information, we open the box that holds it. What this research shows is that emotions seem to be an effective box for doing this sort of organization and for making memories more accessible.”Â
The study employed composers to create music designed to evoke specific emotions, and participants listened to this music while imagining a narrative accompanying neutral images on a computer screen. Participants then performed tasks meant to distract them before being shown pairs of images again. The findings revealed that emotional changes induced by music affected memory, with pairs of objects spanning emotional changes remembered as occurring farther apart in time.Â
The direction of the emotional change also played a role, with memory integration being more effective when the shift was toward more positive emotions. Participants showed better memory for items and moments when their emotions changed, especially if they experienced intense positive emotions. This suggests that emotionally dynamic music may imbue memories with a rich temporal structure and a prolonged sense of time.Â
The potential therapeutic applications of these findings are significant. The study suggests that emotionally dynamic music could directly treat memory issues, particularly those associated with disorders such as PTSD and depression. Music could be used to help individuals with PTSD reintegrate traumatic memories, preventing negative emotions from spilling into everyday life.Â
The study sheds light on the intricate relationship between emotions, music, and memory formation, offering a promising avenue for therapeutic interventions. By understanding how emotions shape our memories, researchers may unlock new approaches to help individuals navigate and overcome the challenges associated with various psychological disorders.Â
Journal Reference Â
Mason McClay et al, Dynamic emotional states shape the episodic structure of memory, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42241-2Â
