Research on emotional learning and memory is traditionally approached from one of two directions: episodic memory and classical conditioning. These approaches differ substantially in methodology and intellectual tradition. Here, we offer a new approach to the study of emotional memory in humans that involves integrating theoretical knowledge and experimental techniques from these seemingly distinct fields. Specifically, we describe how subtle modifications to traditional Pavlovian conditioning procedures have provided new insight into how emotional experiences are selectively prioritized in long-term episodic memory. We also speculate on future directions and undeveloped lines of research where some of the knowledge and principles of classical conditioning might advance our understanding of how emotion modifies episodic memory, and vice versa.

传统上，从两个方向之一进行情感学习和记忆的研究：情节记忆和经典条件。这些方法在方法和知识传统上有很大的不同。在这里，我们提供了一种研究人类情绪记忆的新方法，该方法涉及整合来自这些看似不同领域的理论知识和实验技术。具体来说，我们描述了如何对传统的巴甫洛夫式调理程序进行微妙的修改，从而提供了新的见识，以了解在长期的情节记忆中如何有选择地优先处理情感体验。我们还推测了未来的方向和未开发的研究方向，其中经典调节的一些知识和原理可能会增进我们对情绪如何改变情节记忆的理解，反之亦然。