EMOTION EXPERIENCED DURING ENCODING ENHANCES ODOR RETRIEVAL CUE EFFECTIVENESS

Emotional potentiation may be a key variable in the formation of odor- associated memory. Two experiments were conducted in which a distincti ve ambient odor was present or absent during encoding and retrieval se ssions and subjects were in an anxious or neutral mood during encoding . Subjects' mood at retrieval was not manipulated. The laboratory mood induction used in Experiment 1 suggested that anxiety might increase the effectiveness of an odor retrieval cue. This trend was confirmed i n Experiment 2 by capturing a naturally stressful situation. Subjects who had an ambient odor cue available and were in a preexam state duri ng encoding recalled more words than subjects in any other group. Thes e data are evidence that heightened emotion experienced during encodin g with an ambient odor can enhance the effectiveness of an odor as a c ue to memory.