Flashbulb Memories Flashcards
Davidson and Glisky 2002
- Neutral memories - medial frontal lobe function and correlation with frontal lobe functions
- Flashbulb memories - no effect
Pillemer 1984
- Raegan assassination attempt. Good memory of the even t even after time.
- Better memory for irrelevant information when shocked
Robinson-Riegler 2012
Even if people are confident in their memories, details can be forgotten
Conway’s suggestion
- FM reflect multi-attribute nature of memory
* FM occur when all subsystems are activated simultaneously
Special encoding mechanism?
Disagreement between B&K and Niesser
Conway 1995 - FM caused by enhanced brain activity rather than a special mechanism
Gold 1992 - Shocking events lead to the release of adrenalin
Rubin & Kozin 1984
- 58 subjects - 174 memories
- 71% FM
- Only 4 - public news events
- Most FM of private events
Winningham et al 2000
Rapid initial period of forgetting immediately after an event
Memories may be distorted by post-event information
Harot et al 2006
FM for 9/11
People within 2 miles of Ground Zero - more vivid FMs
Hornstein et al 2003
Death of Princes Diana
Females have higher emotionality ratings.
No gender differences in amount recalled
Conway et al 1994
Thatcher’s resignation
FMs are formed in response to surprising and consequential news
Niesser and Harsch 1992
Challenger explosion
42 students questioned
Memories changed after 3 years
Recall could be influenced by the present factors
Functions of FM
- B&K - permanent record of events, survival advantage if similar events happen again
- Neisser - social and cultural functions
Neisser’s critique of B&K’s hypothesis
- Accuracy
- Role of encoding
- Consequentiality
- Content
Yarney & Bull 1978
Kennedy’s assassination
Vivid memories
Impossible to know if memories are true
Brown and Kulik 1977
Term "FM" 40 white and 40 black participants 10 events (1 of which personal) "Life threatening" events are remembered better. Limbo system activation Special encoding mechanism
