Unconscious memory bias in depression: Perceptual and conceptual processes

Mood-congruent memory (MCM) bias in depression was investigated using 4 dif ferent implicit memory tests. Two of the implicit tests were perceptually d riven, and 2 were conceptually driven. Depressed participants and nondepres sed controls were assigned to 1 of 4 implicit memory tests after studying p ositive and negative adjectives. Results showed no MCM bias in the perceptu ally driven tests. MCM was demonstrated in 1 of the conceptually driven tes ts, but only for adjectives that were conceptually encoded. Results support the theory that mood-congruent processes in depression are limited to conc eptual processing. However, activation of conceptual processes may not be s ufficient for demonstrating mood congruency.