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Flashbulb Memories

Flashbulb Memories. A clear memory of an emotionally significant event Examples 9/11 attacks JFK assassination. #1) What are FBMs?. FBM’s happen when we experience very emotional/traumatic events Kept in memory by discussion (overt rehearsal) and going over it privately (covert rehearsal)

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Flashbulb Memories

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  1. Flashbulb Memories

  2. A clear memory of an emotionally significant event • Examples • 9/11 attacks • JFK assassination #1) What are FBMs?

  3. FBM’s happen when we experience very emotional/traumatic events Kept in memory by discussion (overt rehearsal) and going over it privately (covert rehearsal) Different from normal memories as they are more vivid, long-lasting, & accurate Special physiological features are involved #2) Brown & Kulik’s theory

  4. FBMs may not be as accurate at theory states Difficult to find evidence supporting the special neural mechanism involved Criticisms

  5. 80 participants answered questions about 10 major events…one of which was a self-selected event of personal relevance Participants were asked to recall their own circumstances when they heard the news & also how much they rehearsed the info JFK assassination had highest number of FBMs Conclusion: the events were expected to cause FBMs and they did #3) Brown and Kulik, 1977

  6. Sample: UK and non-UK subjects Event: unexpected resignation of Margaret Thatcher in 1990 85.6% of UK citizens had a FBM; considerably less FBMs in non-UK citizens #4) Conway et al (1994)

  7. Participants asked to report circumstances when they learned about the Challenger Reported twice: 1 day after and 2 ½ years later One day after: 21% heard about the disaster from TV 2 ½ years later: 45% said they heard about it from TV FBMs are not necessarily reliable & accurate #5) Neisser & Harsch (1992)

  8. Most studies on FBMs do not include a control condition for comparison #6) Methodological shortcoming

  9. Participants asked to recall events of 9/11 Asked four times: 1, 7, 42, and 224 days after Compared this memory to an everyday event FBMs were no more consistent then memories of everyday event #7) Talarico & Rubin, 2003

  10. FBMs do last a long time but not necessarily permanently Don’t necessarily last any longer than everyday memories FBMs do tend to be more vivid than normal memories Confidence in recall of FBMs is higher than with other memories #8) Current status of Brown & Kulik

  11. Also did research with the 9/11 attacks • Two conditions required to from FBM: • High importance/consequences • Strong emotional feelings #9) Luminet and Curci

  12. Event importance Event emotionality #10) Two important determinants

  13. Special memory system based on dedicated neural mechanism #11) Faired least well?

  14. “Barlett’s work showed that our past is, to a significant extent, a construction; moreover, one that relies heavily on the ideas and knowledge we develop in the cultural settings we inhabit.” #12) Barlett’s work; culture & memory

  15. Individualistic cultures • Expressing & sharing emotions is encouraged • Collectivist cultures • Individual autonomy & self-expression are inhibited • In some cultures, expression of emotion is seen as dangerous and therefore is discouraged #13) individualist/collectivist

  16. Wang & Aydin (2008) • Chinese participants recalled fewer FBM details of public events as compared to participants from the US, UK, Germany, and Turkey • Otani et al (2005) • Japanese participants had a small percentage of flashbulb memories of a nuclear accident #14) culture & flashbulb memories

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