The Role of Emotion in Memory

Emotion significantly influences memory by making certain experiences more memorable. When an event evokes strong feelings—positive or negative—our brain releases chemicals that strengthen the connection between the memory and the emotional response. This process helps prioritize important experiences, making them easier to recall later. For example, a joyful wedding or a distressing accident often remains vivid because emotions enhance the encoding and storage of these memories. Conversely, neutral events may be less memorable. Overall, emotion acts as a spotlight, highlighting particular moments in our memory database for easier retrieval when needed.