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Effect of depression on the speed of recall of pleasant and unpleasant experiences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

G. G. Lloyd  and
W. A. Lishman
G. G. Lloyd
Affiliation:
Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals and the Institute of Psychiatry, London
W. A. Lishman*
Affiliation:
Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals and the Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
Address for correspondence: W. A. Lishman, The Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London S.E.5.
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Synopsis

An experiment is described in which depressed patients were asked to recall pleasant or unpleasant experiences from their past life in response to a standard series of stimulus words. The ratio between the time for recall of pleasant and unpleasant experiences was found to fall progressively with increasing severity of depression or of ‘neuroticism’ and to be significantly related to each. Among patients who scored relatively low on depression or neuroticism pleasant memories were recalled more speedily than unpleasant; among those who scored high this relationship was reversed. Possible mechanisms to account for these findings are discussed.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , May 1975 , pp. 173 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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