The Effect of Emotional Charge of Visual Stimuli on Memorization and False Recognition

Various sensory stimuli, including visual ones, carry certain emotional characteristics. Given that the brain continuously processes a vast number of sensory inputs, inevitably, memory and emotions are intrinsically linked. This study aims to explore the connection between experience and cognitive performance. Through a quantitative experimental design, it has been demonstrated that individuals are more likely to remember emotionally charged visual stimuli compared to neutral visual stimuli. Additionally, a significant effect of emotional charge on memory recall was identified, with a positively charged stimuli being remembered more effectively than neutral ones. From the perspective of specific emotional charge, a preference for greater enjoyment of positively charged emotional stimuli over negatively charged ones was also observed. However, the effect of emotional charge on the occurrence of false associations was not confirmed, as no differences in false associations were found between emotionally charged and neutral visual stimuli. This knowledge can enhance our understanding of cognitive processes within the Slovak population and may serve as a foundation for future research in the field of cognitive sciences.