The affective auditory verbal learning test

The study of emotion is hindered by the lack of tests for affect perception or comprehension. One solution is to develop affective versions of well-known tests. Using an index of word norms (Toglia&Battig, 1978), positively and negatively valenced word lists were developed as alternate forms of the affectively neutral Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVL; Rey, 1964). Participants (N=102) received either the original RAVL list, the positively valenced list, or the negatively valenced list. Results are depicted across acquisition trials and location within the list for comparison of primacy and recency effects. Each word list yielded comparable patterns of acquisition. Participants receiving the negative list evidenced an enhanced primacy effect, while participants receiving the positive list evidenced an enhanced recency effect. The positive and negative lists may prove useful in the evaluation of individuals with affective disorders and may provide an alternative for affect induction through an active learning paradigm.