Design and procedure
The initial recall trials and experimental manipulations were the same as in Experiment
1. The follow-up took place a day later. At follow-up, participants were first asked to
rate, for each memory, “On a scale of 0–10, with 0 being never and 10 being constantly,
how often did your memory enter your head in the past 24 hours?” to test if there were
lasting effects of recall mode on availability of memories. Next, for each memory, they
were asked to “Recall the memory as you would in everyday life” for a timed period of 10 s
and then rate emotionality; there were no imagery or narration instructions. Then, they
completed the PANAS, PSIQ, and two demand characteristics questions that were prefaced
with, “We recall our memories in different ways. Sometimes we recall them in our heads to
ourselves and sometimes we recall them through talking to our friends. Please rate on the
following scales”: Question 1 then asked “How much, if at all, would you predict that
verbally narrating your memory would affect any negative feelings?” and Question 2 asked
“How much, if at all, would you predict that imagining your memory would affect any
negative feelings?.” As before, participants responded on a scale of 0 (