Influence of emotion on cognitive processes Flashcards
flashbulb memories define
Flashbulb memories
highly emotional event that can lead to different kinds of memory.
Can remember where u were when u heard a piece of info that was highly emotional. Intense- almost like reliving it
E.g remembering where u were when u watched the news of 9/11
NOT the memory of the event, but its RECEPTION CONTEXT. As in where u were/ your memory of what you saw, not the events itself (not description, but what you saw)
Surprising and highly emotional information received
Reinforced by over rehearsal (discussing w/ others), covert rehearsal (private rehearsal/ thinking abt it)
More consistent, accurate than normal memories
Signpost of brown and kulik
A surprising or emotionally arousing emotion/ moment can lead to a flashbulb memory, which affects congitive processes such as memory and recall. This may lead to more detailed and accurate recall of events that were a flashbulb memory.
brown and kulik method results conclusion
Proposed theory and Operationalised FBM- gave the specific way to test it
Asked US ppts (half white, half black) questions on 9 events (mostly assassinations or attempted assassinations on American presidents), such as the assassination of JFK. The tenth was a self-selected event of personal relevance, such as death of friend or serious accident.
They were asked 2 questions:
Do u recall the circumstances in which you remembered the event?
Do u remember one characteristic of the circumstance? (e.g i was drinking tea at the time)
Asked to indicate how often they rehearsed (overtly or covertly) the info of the event
6 attributes used to test- if ppt could recall any of the 6 attributes, then they had a fbm
Results
Ppl that said they had v clear memories of where they were, what they did and what they felt when they first learned about an important public occurrence such as the assassination of JFK or Martin Luther King.
99% of ppt recalled circumstances in which they heard about assassination of JFK, even if the event was a decade ago
Majority of ppt had FBMs of personal events.
Much lower rate of FBMs amongst white ppt than black ppt for the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Shows that there is a link between personal importance and the creation of FBMs
Conclusion
FBMs do occur??
evaluation brown and kulik
Method-
Less cultural bias, as half ppt were black, half ppt were white
Came up with objective criteria abt how to establish a fbm (6 attributes)
Questionnaire- standardisation
Memory may be inaccurate.
Difficult to test whether they actually remember it or not, may just be saying it. Self report data
No way to measure a person’s level of surprise to an event
Due to the national importance of the events, the probability that demand characteristics is v high. Ppl might pretend to remember.
Culture-
Gender-
Ethics-
Distress from recalling personal traumatic events
concluding signpost brown and kulik
Though the study offers some support for the existence of FBMs, it doesn’t show that there is a special neuromechanism responsible for FBMs.
Some evidence for influence of emotion, as it can be said personal events are more emotional, and so most ppt have more FBMs of those. Black ppt more likely to have FBM of death of Martin Luther King Jr, as they may have been more affected by his death as he fought for their rights
Good at showing how varying degrees of emotion can affect FBMs.
signpost sharot et al
Emotion not the only factor that affects cognitive processes. Other factors can also lead to FBMs
sharot et al method results concludion
Sharot et al
Sharot et al conducted an experiment to determine the role of biological factors in FBMs
Tested ppl in NY at the time of the 9-11 attacks
FMRI scan on brain activity
Ppt saw words such as “summer” or “september” to have the ppt link the word to either the summer holidays or the 9/11 attack
^Compared them to autobiographical memories from the words september and summer to get rid of the activation that is not relevant to the 9/11 attacks. Wanted to find out what was dfif abt flashbulb memories. Subtracted similar stuff from normal and 9.11 memories to be left with unique parts of brain activity.
After scanning, ppt asked to rate memories on vividness, detail, confidence in accuracy
Ppt asked to write down their personal memories
Results:
Only half of ppt reported having a FBM, and were usually closer to attack. They also had more specific detailed reports of their memories
Showed increase activity in amygdala- responsible for emotion
Ppl closer had higher activity in amygdala than ppl further away
Ppl far away had equal activity in amygdala for holidays and the attack
Conclusion
Activates part of brain that seems to enhance memory, supports brown and kuliks idea of structure emotion.
Show its not just emotion, as those that were really close to 9/11 had more vivid fbm. Emotion plays a role, but so does how close u were and surprise.
Doesn’t support Brown and Kulik as they claimed there was a special neuro mechanism store for FBM, not simply the amygdala. Does indicate there’s something biological going on, but not necessarily something special. Might just be an enhanced memory using parts of the brain related to emotion.
evaluation sharot et al
Ecological validity- yes, as ppl were actually there
Realistic- yes
Small group of ppt used. Only half had FBMs
Ethical-
not really, as it could put ppl through emotional distress. Do ends justify the means? Possibly. Need to have a debrief and offer emotional support should it be an emotional experience
concluding signpost sharot et al
Although this study demonstrates the role of the amygdala as a result of proximity to the event, it does not explain why someone who simply saw it on television may claim to have a flashbulb memory.
The study is correlational in nature and does not establish a cause and effect relationship which explains how the memory is actually attributed to activity in the amygdala.
otani signpost
Varying levels of emotion do not influence cognitive processes.
method resulsts conc otani
Otani
Aim- to see if nuclear accident that occured in Japan produced FBMs. among people who lived near the accident site.
Gave questionnaire to three different areas of people (near accident site, uni close to accident, unis far away from accident).
Ppt also divided into 3 age groups
Questionnaire consisted of recall items, which were used to probe memories surrounding the discovery of the accident, and a free recall item, which was used to assess any significant memories they had about the day
The ppt had FBMs if their responses were consistent between first test (3 weeks after nuclear accident) and second test (1 year later)
details about source, place, activity, people
Results
few participants formed FBM, most did not have FBM
those who formed had rehearsed more
FBM was rehearsed more
No age related decline
similar in young and old people
FBM vs not did not differ between emotional reactions (sad, angry, afraid, disgust), personal consequentiality (how does it affect their life), surprise
FBM slightly higher confidence tho difference not much greater
Conclusion
rehearsal leads to FBM but this can be influenced by culture and how they share emotions, FBM indirectly linked to emotions
emotion is not enough to give FBM, rehearsal is v important
Results support idea that FBMS formed through rehearsal rather than encoding. However, it is possible rehearsal was the result of the FBM.
Japan is a v collectivist society and so hasn’t talked about the events as much
evaluation otani
unsure of link - FBM formed as a result of rehearsal or rehearsal as a result of FBM?
you would only talk about it if you remembered details to talk about
did not directly manipulate rehearsal
hard to differentiate between FBM and vivid autobiographical memories as emotion was not linked to FBM formation
Method
rate scale - quantitative, objective, no researcher bias
questionnaire not detailed enough to know about what they remember
only a small no. of ppt showed consistency between free recall to describe significant memories of that day vs probed features
distribution of questionnaire 3 weeks after event, may have forgotten some details
BUT FBM should be long term, should not have effect??
age
small number of participants
especially for older ppt
Ethics
3 weeks after accident may still have been traumatising/ distressing for some ppt.
concluding signpost otani
Though FBMs may be caused by extreme emotion, rehearsal is also needed to produce a FBM. There is little evidence to show that the degree of emotionality affects the creation of a FBM at the beginning of an event, but emotion may be more involved during rehearsal and the discussing of an event.
As ppt with different emotional reactions had the same level of FBMs/ influence on cognitive processes, emotions did not influence cogntivie processes that much. Or all types of emotions influence it the same amount/ it is not the sole factor that influences cognition
overall evaluation of influence of emotion on cognitive processes
TEACUP
estible
hard to measure someone’s emotional state at time of event, hard to demonstrate a clear explanation
hard to verify the accuracy of memories, much of research would involve self report data
Empirical evidence
little evidence for special neural mechanism
confidence and vividness better supported than permanence and consistency
role of emotion - little evidence to support initial effect while experiencing FBM, affects rehearsal and social sharing
role of surprise not supported
Application
Construct validity
Unbiased
cultural differences indicate rehearsal may be play more important role in FBM formation
