Associations Among Affective Valence, Intrusive Thoughts, and Prospective Memory

Prospective memory (PM), the ability to remember to carry out intended actions, is influenced by cognitive and emotional factors. This study investigated how changes in affect influence PM by experimentally manipulating mood (negative, neutral, and positive) in young and older adults using a within-subject design. Valence was assessed at baseline (T1), post-induction (T2), and post-task (T3), producing indices of induction-related (T2-T1) and task-related affective change (T3-T2). PM performance improved with more positive affect and declined with more negative affect. Perceived control over intrusive thoughts significantly predicted PM. In an associational indirect-effect analysis, post-induction and post-task affect change were each indirectly associated with PM performance through perceived control over intrusive thoughts. These effects were consistent across age group. Findings support capacity-based accounts, suggesting that negative affective states increase distraction via intrusive, task-unrelated thoughts, impairing PM. Positive affect may enhance PM through performance-related affective processes. By examining when and how affective valence is associated with PM, this study provides a nuanced account of affect–PM coupling and highlights the role of intrusive thoughts.