Memory Hypothesis

Review of Gunter, Tohala, and Furnham (2001)

Question

Memory and the effect that different emotions have on memory has been a topic that has been researched for the past couple of decades. Research has shown that different emotions have particular effects on our memory. One study that was conducted in this area was done by Barrie Gunter, Tala Tohala, and Adrian Furnham. In this study, Gunter, Tohala, and Furnham (2001) tested the effect that effect that violence had on memory.

Predictions

For this study, there were three hypotheses that were presented. The first hypothesis was that memory for the advertisement would be diminished if it was placed within a violent film clip. The second hypothesis was that nonviolent advertisement

One of the many studies that have been conducted in this field was conducted by Barrie Gunter, Adrian Furnham, and Eleni Pappa (2005). In this experiment, researchers looked particularly at violence and its effect on memory.

Predictions

For this study, researchers had five hypotheses that they presented. The first hypothesis was that memory of advertising would diminish if it was placed in a violent film clip, rather than when it is placed in a nonviolent film clip. The second hypothesis made was that memory for the nonviolent advertisement would be more obstructed if placed in a violent film clip instead of being placed in a nonviolent film clip. Hypothesis number three stated that memory of violent advertisements would be easier to remember if the clip was placed in a violent film clip. The fourth hypothesis stated in this experiment was that having a hostile mood would intensify by watching the violent film clips. The fifth and last hypothesis made in this study was that being in an intensified hostile mood would diminish the memory of advertisements.

Each group was assigned to either a violent or nonviolent advertisement ad and a violent or nonviolent program. After watching their assigned clips, participants were given a series of questionnaires to answer, relating to mood, program rating, free-recall, brand recognition,cued-recall, and demographics. The information gathered from the participants was then evaluated.

Results

Gunter, Furnham, and Pappa (2005) found that the participants’ memory of the advertisements presented were better when the advertisements were found in the nonviolent clips than if they were in the violent clips, which partially supported the first hypothesis. Another finding was that in regards to brand recognition, participants had worse memory of the nonviolent advertisement when it was presented in the violent clip. The findings also pointed to participants having better memory of the violent advertisement clips when presented in the violent clips.

Discussion

According to Gunter, Furnham, and Pappa (2005), the finding made suggest that observing violence does lead to changes in our memory about what we observed. As the results indicated, violence seen in advertisements was remembered better if they were seen in a violent clip. This information supports previous studies that have been conducted on this topic.