Final answer:
The statement is false; mood congruency memory bias effects can occur in both positive and negative moods. It's the tendency to remember information consistent with one's current mood, and understanding this can help manage emotions using metacognition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that mood congruency memory bias effects occur only when you are in a negative mood is false. Mood congruency refers to the tendency of individuals to remember information that is consistent with their current mood. However, this bias is not exclusive to negative moods; it can also occur when individuals are in a positive mood. When you are happy, you are more likely to remember positive events, and similarly, when you are sad, you're more likely to recall negative ones.
To respond to strong emotions, using tools of metacognition can help reflect on the source of those emotions and attempt to manage them. Regardless of whether the emotion is positive or negative, being aware of the potential for mood-congruent memory can assist in achieving a more balanced perspective. Indeed, Bolger, N., DeLongis, A., Kessler, R. C., & Schilling, E. A. (1989) explored the effects of daily stress on negative mood, indicating that emotions can have significant impacts on cognitive processes such as memory.
Memory biases, including mood congruency, are a form of distortion error that can affect how we remember past events. One's feelings and worldview can influence and even distort memories, a notion supported by Schacter (2001).