The mood regulatory function of autobiographical recall is moderated by self-esteem

This study investigated whether self-esteem (SE) moderates the mood regulation function of autobiographical memory. Music was used to induce a negative mood in participants. Mood was then assessed following one of three tasks: (1) free recall participants were not constrained to retrieve memories of a particular valence; (2) directed recall participants were told to retrieve positive memories; and (3) control participants completed arithmetic problems. It was found that high SE participants recalled more positive memories than did low SE participants in the free recall condition. Consequently, the high SE participants experienced a greater elevation in mood. Memory positivity was equivalent for the high and low SE participants in the directed recall task. Moreover, both high and low SE participants showed an improvement in mood following directed recall of positive memories, although this improvement was less pronounced in the low SE group. No mood change was found in the control condition. The results suggest that individual differences in SE moderate mood regulation by autobiographical recall.