Memory bias in the assessment and recall of pre-exam anxiety: how anxious was I?

This study investigated retrospective evaluations of past emotional states. Twenty-nine graduate students rated their anxiety one day prior to their comprehensive examination. Approximately 1 month later, they attempted to recall their pre-exam anxiety ratings. Half the students recalled after being informed that they had passed the exam, while the others recalled while still awaiting a decision. Students as a whole, but especially those who knew they had passed, recalled being more anxious than what they had reported initially. Thus one's recollection of a prior emotional state may be influenced by one's current emotional state.