Implicit Memory

Testing models of implicit and explicit memory systems in affective disorders by manipulating the valence of stimulus.

Abstract This study aims to develop the signal detection modeling framework for implicit (e.g., priming) and explicit (e.g., recognition) memory systems in clinical depressed and anxious samples by manipulating the valence of stimulus. Explicit memory is impaired by depression, but the evidence for implicit memory is vague. In addition, several studies have indicated that both depressed and anxious individuals tend to have attentional bias. In this study, based on signal detection theory, we will consider the idea whether manipulating the valence of stimuli can be applied for dissociation of recognition, familiarity and

These models have been widely applied in the various areas and depending on the domain of application, they have provided a deep explanation for characteristic behavior. Thanks to the advances, studies and tests in this field, we now have a clearer picture of the nature of, and the relationship between the memory systems. The related investigations on memory systems are testing 3 models; a single-system model; which assumes that exposure to some stimulus or event creates one single memory trace, which, in turn, forms the basis of responses; (b) a multiple-systems-1 model, a special case model that suppose strict independence of two systems; (c) and a multiple-systems-2 model, which takes a more general perspective and assumes that separate systems are contributing to explicit and implicit memory, however there is also a connection between the systems, so single-system model is supposed to be a special case of this framework. Some experimental works have been directed on normal adults, amnesic patients (e.g., Berry, et al Jon. 2014, Berry, et al. 2012) and some others on older samples (Shanks, et al 2012) in order to increase the likelihood of being able to discriminate the models. Although experimental results defend a single-system model in preference to multiple-systems models, it is still important, in addition to data from the normal population, to collect data from other samples and evaluate how robust the present conclusions are across different ways of testing including various memory tests and materials. The current study aims to apply this framework on clinical subjects suffering from depression and anxiety using a rather different approach; the varying valence of stimuli. In all previous investigations, the cues were neutral (e.g., picture of animals) and had the equal valence and they were only compared with