New research suggests a engaging link between emotional intensity and memory recall, with implications for how we process past experiences through music.
Studies indicate that events triggering either very strong or very weak emotions are more easily recalled in terms of their overall gist.Conversely, details of an event are better remembered when the emotional response is moderate.
Music, notably from one’s teenage years or early adulthood, is a potent trigger for memories, according to Salakka. While the majority of music-related memories are positive,negative memories are often tied to more specific events,whereas positive memories tend to be more general.
The emotional valence of a song and its associated memories can evolve over time. As Leal points out, a song that once evoked positive feelings might later stir up negative emotions and memories that were not originally present.
While this phenomenon might suggest avoiding certain songs, experts propose a potential avenue for rehabilitation. Although research in this area is limited, listening to a song with painful associations in new, positive contexts could help to reframe those memories. Leal suggests that by repeatedly exposing oneself to such a song within happy experiences, the brain might rewire itself to form new, positive associations, potentially overpowering the old ones.
For this to be effective, Prof renee Timmers of the University of Sheffield emphasizes that these new associations should involve strong emotions, ideally occur in a social setting, and be personally meaningful.
Timmers also offers an alternative approach: actively engaging with the music rather than passively experiencing it. This could involve humming along or improvising with the music, transforming the music from a trigger for past memories into an active, present experience.
