This study examined the impact of recalling certain types of memories, and the sequence in which these memories are recalled, on state psychological functioning and group cohesion. Participants wrote stories about victories and defeats, with half writing agentic stories and half writing communal stories (story sequence was counterbalanced). Effects of emotional condition (victory/defeat), social condition (agentic/communal), and sequence (redemption/contamination) on state psychological functioning (positive/negative affect, performance/social state self-esteem) and group cohesion were examined. Describing a victory resulted in higher levels of positive affect, higher levels of performance/social state self-esteem, higher levels of group cohesion, and lower levels of negative affect. Sequence X Emotional condition interactions were found for positive affect, performance and social state self-esteem, and group cohesion, reflective of redemption and contamination across stories. Three-way interactions were also found. Implications of the content and sequencing of story elements for state psychological functioning and group cohesion were discussed.