People often re-live memories by talking about them. Verbal thinking is usually less
emotive than imagery-based thinking but it is not known if this finding generalises to
recollection. We tested if narrating memories aloud reduces their affective charge
compared with recollecting them using imagery. Participants were randomised to two
conditions: imagery (recalling the memory silently as vividly as possible) or narration
(describing the memory out loud as clearly as possible). After practicing with a neutral
topic, they recalled three aversive (Experiments 1 and 2) or three happy (Experiment 3)
memories using narration or imagery, and rated emotionality of the memory after each
recall. Before and after the procedure, they completed the PANAS to measure effects on
mood. Experiments 2 and 3 included a 24 h follow-up. Emotionality was consistently lower
following narrated recollection than imaginal recollection: narratedM= 5.3,SD= 2.5; imaginalM= 7.2,SD= 2.0; effect size (difference in mean values divided by overallSD) = 0.78. Negative affect increased after recollection of aversive
memories and positive affect decreased, but there were no effects of condition upon mood.
Recalling a positive memory had no effect on mood. Follow-up data showed no lasting
effects of recall mode on availability of memories or mood. We conclude that narration of
emotional autobiographical memories reduces the emotionality of the recollection, but does
not differentially change mood compared with image-based recall.