Auditory Bilateral Stimulation Effects on Episodic Memory Retrieval for Fearful Events.
Citation
(2017) Auditory Bilateral Stimulation Effects on Episodic Memory Retrieval for Fearful Events., no. 49.
Abstract
Eye Movement Desensitising and Reprocessing (EMDR) has been established as an effective
treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of comparable effect to trauma-based
cognitive behavioural therapy. Despite its status as a first-line treatment, the underlying
mechanisms are still under investigation. This study, consisting of a non-PTSD sample of mainly
undergraduate psychology students (N = 58), investigated the effects of the crucial bilateral
stimulation component of EMDR. Employing a between subjects design, 48 participants were
randomly allocated into two groups, either receiving alternating- or simultaneous auditory
stimuli. The remaining 10 participants were assigned to a separate forced simultaneous group as
their scores on the PDS reached clinical levels. Employing the film clip paradigm, positively
shown to elicit emotional arousal of fear, participants' recall of film events was tested with both a
free narrative recall and a cued recognition multiple choice questionnaire. Significant differences
in emotional responses to the film stimulus are commented upon. The experimental hypothesis
predicted that participants in the active condition, receiving alternating auditory bilateral stimuli
would elicit enhanced memory recall for the film events. The hypothesis was rejected and
possible theoretical explanations are discussed.
Type
Thesis