Abstract
The retrieval of a memory can cause forgetting of other memories, a phenomenon known as retrieval-induced forgetting. It has been demonstrated that the semantic retrieval can lead to successful forgetting of episodic memory. However, no study have addressed whether this semantic retrieval induced forgetting is generalized to negative memories. Against this background, this study investigated whether semantic retrieval of a negative word can lead to successful forgetting of episodic memory of negative words. Participants learned neutral and negative words and then engaged in semantic generation of other unstudied words that were associated with a subset of studied words. Finally, a stem-cued recall test for studied words only was administered. The stem-cued recall test indicated that semantic generation induced successful forgetting of studied words that were related to generated words, regardless of emotionality. Accordingly, we propose that semantic retrieval of a negative word can cause successful retrieval-induced forgetting of negative words.
