EFFECTS OF SENSORY DEPRIVATION ON THE RETRIEVAL OF REMOTE MEMORIES |
Posted on:1981-09-20 | Degree:Ph.D | Type:Dissertation |
University:Arizona State University | Candidate:ESTRADA, JEFFREY MARIO | Full Text:PDF |
GTID:1474390017966752 | Subject:Clinical Psychology |
Abstract/Summary: | PDF Full Text Request |
Sensory deprivation and social isolation environments were compared for their influence on personal and public memories. Seventy-two male introductory psychology students spent either one, three or five hours in either environment. Afterward, they completed a 64-item multiple-choice test of television programs which aired between the years 1961 and 1976; and they reported memories in response to a list of 24 cue words of low-, medium- and high-affect conveyance. The age and response latency for personal memories were measured. A subset of the total sample of personal memories were rated on eight semantic differentials by six female research assistants. The ratings were factor analyzed and three factors were identified: Approach to the Environment, Evaluation of the Environment and Evaluation of Self. No effects for type of environment or amount of time spent in either environment were observed for public memories (i.e., television programs), the age of personal memories or the response latency for personal memories. Television programs which were aired between the years 1973 and 1976 were identified correctly more often than programs which aired earlier (p < .001). Personal memories elicited by high-affect cues were more recent (p < .01) and took longer to retrieve (p < .01) than personal memories elicited by low- or medium-affect cues. The effects of cues on personal memories were discussed in terms of the acquisition of the relation between emotional states and the words that describe emotions and the steps in the memory process that are needed when the emotion of the to-be-remembered event is specified. Memories reported by subjects who spent five hours in either environment depicted more active approaches to the environment than memories reported by subjects who spent one to three hours in either environment (p < .05). Post-hoc analyses of the memories elicited by the medium-affect cues (cut and safe) demonstrated significant differences between sensory deprivation and social isolation conditions. (Type of environment effected Approach to the Environment and Evaluation of Self. Time and environment interacted to effect Evaluation of the Environment.) These effects were interpreted cautiously because of the small sample of memories in which they occurred. Differences in memories for sensory deprivation and social isolation subjects were discussed in terms of differences in opportunities for motor activity in the two environments and the possibility that sensory deprivation facilitates the retrieval of repressed experiences. |
Keywords/Search Tags: | Sensory deprivation, Memories, Environment, Personal, Effects |
PDF Full Text Request |
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