title: Trait anxiety reduces affective fading for both positive and negative autobiographical memories.
abstract: The affect associated with negative events fades faster than the affect associated with positive events (the Fading Affect Bias; the FAB). The research that we report examined the relation between trait anxiety and the FAB. Study 1 assessed anxiety using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; Studies 2 and 3 used the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Studies 1 and 2 used retrospective procedures to probe positive event memories and negative event memories while Study 3 used a diary procedure. The results of all 3 studies showed that increased anxiety was associated with both a lowered FAB and lower overall affect fading for both positive events and negative events. These results suggest that for people free of trait anxiety, the FAB reflects the operation of a healthy coping mechanism in autobiographical memory that is disrupted by trait anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Winston-Salem State University, USA.
authors.forename: W Richard
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences, Winston-Salem State University, USA.
authors.forename: Cecile N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Yancu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, USA.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Skowronski
keywords: autobiographical memory; emotion; fading affect bias; trait anxiety