SELF-RATINGS OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT AND RETRIEVAL OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT MEMORIES

Based on analysis of self-ratings of mood, positive affect (PA) and ne gative affect (NA) have been proposed as basic, orthogonal mood dimens ions (Watson & Tellegen, 1985). The present study asked subjects (N = 61) to not only provide self-ratings of PA and NA terms but also to re trieve personal memories associated with those terms. Self-rated PA wa s associated with latency to retrieve PA- but not NA-related memories; self-rated NA was associated with latency to retrieve NA- but not PA- related memories. Self-ratings of PA and NA were not significantly cor related, nor were retrieval latencies for PA and NA memories. Individu al item correlations also revealed a strong direct relationship betwee n self-ratings and retrieval latency. The dissociations involving a no n-self report measure strengthen the distinction between PA and NA, an d the individual item correlations are interpreted as showing that sel f-ratings of affect are based upon the ease of retrieval of personal m emories