Transcript Flashbulb Memory - psychlotron.org.uk

Flashbulb memory
• Originally described by Brown & Kulik
(1977):
• Debate centres on whether they are a
special case, or the same as other
memories
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• Exceptionally vivid memories
• Usually of important events with emotional
significance
• Resistant to forgetting over time
Flashbulb memory
• E.g. disasters, deaths of prominent figures
(esp. if unexpected), momentous events
• World Trade Centre
• Kennedy, Princess Diana
• Fall of Berlin Wall
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• Typical ‘flashbulb’ events are dramatic,
unexpected, shocking
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Where you were
What you were doing
How you were informed
How you reacted
How others around you reacted
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Flashbulb memory
Flashbulb memory
• Brown & Kulik (1977) found US PPs
tended to have vivid memories of political
assassinations
• All PPs good recall of Kennedy, Black PPs
better recall of Medgar Evers (civil rights
worker)
• Shows importance of relevance
• Shock, arousal also important
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• Surveys about dramatic events:
Flashbulb memory
• Challenges to concept of FBM:
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• Neisser (1988) compared PPs recall of
Challenger disaster after 2 days and 2
years
• Found all accounts had changed over time,
some were ‘wildly inaccurate’
Flashbulb memory
• Platania & Hertkorn (1998) – recall for
death of Princess Diana
consistency
confidence
Diana
everyday
Diana
Imm.
10 weeks
Imm.
10 weeks
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everyday
Flashbulb memory
• Squire (2000) – recall of OJ Simpson
verdict
100%
Highly accurate
Contained major
distortions
0%
1 mo
12 mo
15 mo
3 years
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50%
Flashbulb memories
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• Relatively little evidence for FMBs as a
distinct memory process
• They ‘feel’ accurate (we are confident in
recall) but are just as prone to forgetting
& change as other episodic memories