JOL reactivity in negative faces memory: an examination of the changed-goal hypothesis.

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Title: JOL reactivity in negative faces memory: an examination of the changed-goal hypothesis.
Authors: Guo, Yanlin (AUTHOR), Zhang, Xiaojing (AUTHOR), Yuan, Yuan (AUTHOR), Long, Yiting (AUTHOR), Cong, Peiyao (AUTHOR), Jiang, Yingjie (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of General Psychology. Oct-Dec2025, Vol. 152 Issue 4, p747-764. 18p.
Subjects: Goal (Psychology), Facial expression & emotions (Psychology), Recollection (Psychology), Memory testing, Emotional conditioning, Cognitive ability
Abstract: JOL reactivity denotes the modulation of memory performance by making judgments of learning (JOLs). Previous studies centering on verbal materials, evidence pertaining to visual stimuli, particularly emotional faces, remains limited. Additionally, theoretical frameworks explaining JOL reactivity remain contested. The present study aimed to elucidate the influence of emotional faces on JOL reactivity and the underlying cognitive mechanisms. Experiment 1 adopted a within-subject design with the forced choice recognition test as the memory test. The results found that making JOLs could improve memory performance only for negative faces, but not for positive and neutral faces, which revealed JOL reactivity specifically for negative faces. Experiment 2 adopted a mixed design and replicated these findings in an old/new recognition test. Notably, both experiments consistently revealed that participants assigned higher JOLs values to negative faces compared to positive and neutral faces. These findings indicate that making JOLs prompted individuals to pay greater attention to negative faces they considered easily memorable. Consequently, this enhanced their memory performance for these negative faces. The changed-goal hypothesis, which accounts for JOL reactivity, proposes that making JOLs shifts individuals' goal orientation, leading them to focus on learning items they perceive as easier while neglecting more difficult ones. This shift ultimately influences memory performance. This hypothesis aligns with the findings of the present study and offers a plausible explanation for the observed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of General Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: JOL reactivity in negative faces memory: an examination of the changed-goal hypothesis.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guo%2C+Yanlin%22">Guo, Yanlin</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Xiaojing%22">Zhang, Xiaojing</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuan%2C+Yuan%22">Yuan, Yuan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Long%2C+Yiting%22">Long, Yiting</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cong%2C+Peiyao%22">Cong, Peiyao</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jiang%2C+Yingjie%22">Jiang, Yingjie</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+General+Psychology%22">Journal of General Psychology</searchLink>. Oct-Dec2025, Vol. 152 Issue 4, p747-764. 18p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Goal+%28Psychology%29%22">Goal (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Facial+expression+%26+emotions+%28Psychology%29%22">Facial expression & emotions (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recollection+%28Psychology%29%22">Recollection (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory+testing%22">Memory testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+conditioning%22">Emotional conditioning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+ability%22">Cognitive ability</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: JOL reactivity denotes the modulation of memory performance by making judgments of learning (JOLs). Previous studies centering on verbal materials, evidence pertaining to visual stimuli, particularly emotional faces, remains limited. Additionally, theoretical frameworks explaining JOL reactivity remain contested. The present study aimed to elucidate the influence of emotional faces on JOL reactivity and the underlying cognitive mechanisms. Experiment 1 adopted a within-subject design with the forced choice recognition test as the memory test. The results found that making JOLs could improve memory performance only for negative faces, but not for positive and neutral faces, which revealed JOL reactivity specifically for negative faces. Experiment 2 adopted a mixed design and replicated these findings in an old/new recognition test. Notably, both experiments consistently revealed that participants assigned higher JOLs values to negative faces compared to positive and neutral faces. These findings indicate that making JOLs prompted individuals to pay greater attention to negative faces they considered easily memorable. Consequently, this enhanced their memory performance for these negative faces. The changed-goal hypothesis, which accounts for JOL reactivity, proposes that making JOLs shifts individuals' goal orientation, leading them to focus on learning items they perceive as easier while neglecting more difficult ones. This shift ultimately influences memory performance. This hypothesis aligns with the findings of the present study and offers a plausible explanation for the observed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of General Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1080/00221309.2025.2478003
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Facial expression & emotions (Psychology)
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              Text: Oct-Dec2025
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              Y: 2025
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