Keywords
Abstract
This study explores how stress and emotional arousal influence the misinformation effect and examines its implications for educational design. The misinformation effect refers to the distortion of memory accuracy when individuals are exposed to misleading post-event information. This paper synthesizes evidence on the interaction between stress, emotion, and memory distortion. The findings indicate that moderate stress and emotional arousal can enhance attention and memory for central details, while excessive stress or intense negative emotions impair memory accuracy and increase susceptibility to misinformation. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that stress hormones and amygdala–hippocampal interactions play key roles in memory reconsolidation and false memory formation. Integrating these insights into educational contexts, the paper proposes strategies for reducing learning-related memory biases, including stress management during examinations, emotional regulation training, and fostering metacognitive awareness. It concludes by emphasizing that stress and emotion act as a “double-edged sword” in learning: while moderate levels may strengthen knowledge retention, excessive levels undermine memory fidelity. Future research should further investigate neural mechanisms, individual differences, and classroom interventions to promote accurate learning and memory resilience.
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