Brown and Kulik

Question 1

What can this study be used for?

Answer 1

Flashbulb memory

Question 2

Year

Answer 2

Brown and Kulik 1977

Question 3

Background

Answer 3

• A flashbulb memory is a memory characterised by vividness and unusual detail. Sometimes they are reffered to as ‘snapshot’ memories as they capture a particular moment in time that was surprising, emotionally arousing or was very consequential.
• Suggested by Brown and Kulik in 1977
• Neissar and Harsch tested the accuracy and regardless of high confidence in these memories they aren’t as accurate
• There is also a lot of discourse about whether flashbulb memories have any particular neural mechanism responsible for it. So far, no such pathway has been found, however it’s known that amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for processing highly emotional arrousing stimuli, plays a role in forming flashbulb memories.

Question 4

Aim

Answer 4

Investigate whether highly emotional events can cause unusually vivid memories

Question 5

Participants

Answer 5

80 americans, half white and half african amercian

Question 6

Experimental design

Question 7

Procedure

Answer 7

• They had to recall the assasination of some famous influental figures like JFK and also an emotionally intense personal moment from the past (like a death of a loved one)

Question 8

Results

Answer 8

• All participants well recalled assasination of JFK, but

- African americans very well recalled assasination of martin luther king