Response to trauma vary by individual context. Abnormal autonomic regulations can lead to maladaptation and maladaptive memory formation. However, previous research examining maladaptive memory formation is over-reliant on emotional factors. The present work aligns with autonomic and cognitive evidence in understanding the non-emotional contributors to maladaptive memory formation. Using the word rate paradigm, participants were required to rate the relevance of associations between words and different survival or self-based scenarios, following a free recall test after they finished the task. Heart rate variability (HRV) was collected during the task. Applying for linear mixed effect regression model, results revealed an interaction effect between trait/state HRV and survival-self condition, with lower trait HRV recall more word than higher trait HRV. It was also found that resting HRV level was significantly lower than overall task HRV, which might indicate successful emotional regulations during task. Therefore, the current study extends extant the literature on survival encoding strategy by combing self-other effect on maladaptive memory formation and provides insight into the vulnerability of developing trauma-related disorders.