Stress Induction and Visual Working Memory Performance: The Effects of Emotional and Non-Emotional Stimuli

Abstract

Background: Some studies have shown working memory impairment following stressful situations. Also, researchers have found that working memory performance depends on many different factors such as emotional load of stimuli and gender. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effects of stress induction on visual working memory (VWM) performance among female and male university students. Methods: This quasi-experimental research employed a posttest with only control group design (within-group study). A total of 62 university students (32 males and 30 females) were randomly selected and allocated to experimental and control groups (mean age of 23.73). Using cold presser test (CPT), stress was induced and then, an n-back task was implemented to evaluate visual working memory function (such as the number of true items, time reactions, and the number of wrong items through emotional and nonemotional pictures). 100 pictures were selected from the international affective picture system (IASP) with different valences. Results: Results showed that stress impaired different visual working memory functions (P < 0.002 for true scores, P < 0.001 for reaction time, and P < 0.002 for wrong items). Conclusions: In general, stress significantly decreases the VWM performances. On the one hand, females were strongly impressed by stress more than males and on the other hand, the VWM performance was better for emotional stimuli than non-emotional