The influence of negative affective states on the neurophysiological correlates of prospective memory

Prospective memory (PM), the ability to remember to perform an intended action in the future, is influenced by affective states. We tested two opposing theoretical accounts regarding the effects of negative affect on cognitive tasks using behavioral and neural data to better understand the mechanisms underlying emotional effects on PM. We presented negative or neutral film clips to participants prior to them completing an event-based PM task while their electrophysiological activity was recorded with electroencephalography (EEG). Results revealed significant interactions between affective state and trial type (PM vs. non-PM trials) for the N300 and FN400 components, indicating that the relationship between affective state and ERP amplitude varied across trial types. No comparable interactions were observed for the P3b or prospective positivity components. In addition, higher levels of intrusive thoughts were associated with poorer PM performance and reduced N300 amplitudes. The overall pattern is consistent with the possibility that negative affective states influence early PM processes, potentially via increased task-unrelated thoughts and reduced allocation of attentional resources. These findings provide tentative support for capacity-based accounts and highlight the need for further research to clarify the reliability and magnitude of these effects.