Understanding Flashbulb Memory Theory

FLASHBULB MEMORY THEORY: Flashbulb memories (Brown & Kulik 1977) * vivid, long-lasting memories surrounding a person’s discovery of a surprising and emotionally arousing event. * It seems as if the mind has “taken a picture” of the circumstances in which the news was learned * Become more memorable because they are repeatedly recalled/ rehearsed often. 1977 Special-Mechanism hypothesis * The existence of a special biological memory mechanism * When triggered by an event exceeding critical levels of surprise * Creates a permanent record of the details and the circumstances surrounding the experience → flashbulb memories have different characteristics than “ordinary memories” * The emotions make the memories resistant to forgetting Cause of flashbulb memories * Flashbulb memories occur because of the release of hormones during times of high emotion * Hormones make memories more vivid, enhancing recall. * Adaptive behaviour in relation to these memories - promote survival and avoid re-experiencing uncomfortable situations → vivid recall of an emotional event may help the animal/human cope with any similar situations in the future Study 1: Sharot et al Biological support Aim: the aims of the study were to investigate whether emotional arousal levels linked to the permanence of certain memories. Procedure: sample: individuals who had witnessed and were close to the site of the 9-11 incident during the attack * participants were placed in an fMRI scanner and were presented with word cues on a screen and had words which they hoped would allow participants to link them to the 9/11 event. * The memories of personal events from the summer served as the baseline of Brain’s activity for evaluating the nature of 9/11 memories. * While also in the fMRI participants were asked to recall specific details and experiences related to the attacks. * They investigated/analyzed the fMRI data to identify patterns of neural activity associated with the retrieval of 9/11 memories. Findings: * selective Activation of the amygdala: participants in downtown manhattan (close proximity of the attacks) exhibited a selective activation of the amygdala when retrieving 9/11 memories. - only half showed this relationship. * They found that flashbulb memories are stored and linked to the amygdala * Close personal experiences were found to be critical in engaging the amygdala and triggering flashbulb memories. * Those closer to downtown Manhattan near the Twin Towers exhibited higher activation of their amygdala. conclusions: * the researchers concluded that emotion playa key role in the formation and retrieval of flashbulb memories * flashbulb memories have a unique neural basis, with the amygdala being selectively activated during retrieval * Personal experiences, particularly those in close proximity to the event, are crucial in engaging the neural mechanism underlying flashbulb memories. Evaluation: Bias: The sample included american participants, this makes it harder to apply the conclusion and findings to people of other nationalities and they may respond to traumatic or emotional stimulation differently. It may imply that the same factors may not influence the formation of lightbulb memories of those with different nationalities. This tells us that flashbulb memories may be processed and stored differently for those in other nationalities and upbringings and therefore there is not a universal factor which may make them different to other memories. Asking participants to recall the traumatic experience of 9/11 especially to those close to the area of the incident, may have caused participants to experience unpleasant emotion putting them under emotional stress which could trigger anxieties of the participants.This highlights the intensity with which flashbulb memories are recalled which implies the vibrancy with which is is retained in memory Link The study supports the theory of special mechanism and flashbulb memories as it found that the memories of the 9-11 events linked with the emotion experienced by participants triggered a neural activation in the amygdala. This provides biological evidence for how flashbulb memories are different as they are linked to emotional and hormonal stimulation and are remembered more permanently,in more detail and in a particular area of the brain compared to others memories. study 2: Conway 1994 Aim: to find out Whether flashbulb memories are different to other memories and whether it has to do with the emotions experienced by individuals during those particular events.The study focused on the context and reception of the flashbulb memories related to Margaret Thatcher's resignation. Sample: the sample included a mix of participants who were from the UK and from other places. Procedure: * The study collected data at two different time points: two weeks, and 8 months after Margaret's resignation. * participants completed a Flashbulb Memory questionnaire that assessed their memories of the event, including the context and reception of the memory. Findings: * The results showed that flashbulb memories were consistent from the initial stat collection phase(two weeks) to the later phase(8 months) * Among the uk pts, 85.6% reported having Flashbulb memories 11 months after the event.In contrast, non-UK participants had a lower rate of Flashbulb memory formation, with only 29% reporting such memories Conclusion: Concluded/ suggests that flashbulb memories exist and are different from normal memories. However, they may only exist for events with personal significance Evaluation: Ethics: Since participants are asked to think about past memories about quite significant events, there may be issues relating to the ethical consideration: Protection from harm. The resignation of Marget Thatcher itself may bring up some bad emotions and feelings or, may bring up bad feelings from events that may have happened at the time of Margret Thatcher's resignations. This means that participants are subject to harm from thinking about emotions and bad events from times in their lives that they would rather not think about. This means that all research regarding flashbulb memory is affected by ethical considerations as the research requires past memories and emotions to be brought up, meaning that all findings will be affected in some way about these emotions and may not fully help explain how flashbulb memories form. Self-reported data was collected by the researchers. This may have meant that participants had experienced social desirability bias when responding to the questions, in hopes to appear better by assuming model answers.this may mean that the responses form which the researchers used to draw their conclusion form was not an accurate representation and as a result, lowering both the validity and generalisation of the study. This highlights the difficulty with collecting unbiased, objective data surrounding flashbulb memories and how they influence the accuracy of recall. Link: The study found that flashbulb memories are those that are personally significant . The UK pts showed that over 80% of them had flashbulb memories relating to the resignation of Margaret Thatcher whilst less than 30% of the other participants had flashbulb memories related to the event. This showed that flashbulb memories are not only different from other memories as they are more vividly remembered and recalled, but also that flashbulb memories are linked how personally significant the events were for the individual which also explain what makes them different from other memories through using the significant event of the resignation of margaret thatcher which was quite a big and impactful event for many of the UK citizens. LAQ Theory → Definitions → Characteristics → How they are formed → What makes flashbulb memories special to study? Topic Sentence 1: One way in which we can study flashbulb memories is through how emotional arousal levels may highlight a neural basis of these memories → Study 1: Sharot et al * This shows how flashbulb memories are heavily linked with our emotional stimulation, highlighting the differences between flashbulb memories and normal memories as stated in theory. * It allows us to understand what brain parts are involved when flashbulb memories are formed. The study found that the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with emotional responses such as fear and shock further outlines support for the theory as it shows the connection between emotions and flashbulb memory formation once again. → Study evaluation Topic sentence 2: Another way flashbulb memories can be studied is through the emotional relevance of events we experience → Study 2: Conway 1994 * The study shows how flashbulb memories can be identified through how emotionally relevant the experience is. * This can help explain why we remember certain events more vividly, as we may remember certain dei=tail and event better due to their our emotional connection to the scenario/emotional relevance of the situation with ourselves → study eval Any additional TEACUP Conclusion

Study 1: Sharot et al
Biological support
	Aim: the aims of the study were to investigate whether emotional arousal levels linked to the permanence of certain memories.

Procedure:

sample: individuals who had witnessed and were close to the site of the 9-11 incident during the attack

* participants were placed in an fMRI scanner and were presented with  word cues on a screen and had words which they hoped would allow participants to link them to the 9/11 event.
* The memories of personal events from the summer served as the baseline of Brain’s activity for evaluating the nature of 9/11 memories. 
* While also in the fMRI participants were asked to recall  specific details and experiences related to the attacks.
* They investigated/analyzed the fMRI data to identify patterns of neural activity associated with the retrieval of 9/11 memories.

Findings:

* selective Activation of the amygdala: participants in downtown manhattan (close proximity of the attacks) exhibited a selective activation of the amygdala when retrieving 9/11 memories. - only half showed this relationship.
* They found that flashbulb memories are stored and linked to the amygdala
* Close personal experiences were found to be critical in engaging the amygdala and triggering flashbulb memories.
* Those closer to downtown Manhattan near the Twin Towers exhibited higher activation of their amygdala.  
conclusions: 
* the researchers concluded that emotion playa key role in the formation and retrieval of flashbulb memories
* flashbulb memories have a unique neural basis, with the amygdala being selectively activated during retrieval
* Personal experiences, particularly those in close proximity to the event, are crucial in engaging the neural mechanism underlying flashbulb memories.
	Evaluation: 
	Bias: 
The sample included american participants, this makes it harder to apply the conclusion and findings to people of other nationalities and they may respond to traumatic or emotional stimulation differently. It may imply that the same factors may not influence the formation of lightbulb memories of those with different nationalities. This tells us that flashbulb memories may be processed and stored differently for those in other nationalities and upbringings and therefore there is not a universal factor which may make them different to other memories.

Asking participants to recall the traumatic experience of 9/11 especially to those close to the area of the incident, may have caused participants to experience unpleasant emotion putting them under emotional stress which could trigger anxieties of the participants.This highlights the intensity with which flashbulb memories are recalled which implies the vibrancy with which is is retained in memory  
	Link 
	The study supports the theory of special mechanism and flashbulb memories as it found that the memories of the 9-11 events linked with the emotion experienced by participants triggered a neural activation in the amygdala. This provides biological evidence for how flashbulb memories are different as they are linked to emotional and hormonal stimulation and are remembered more permanently,in more detail and in a particular area of the brain compared to others memories.
	study 2: Conway 1994

Aim: to find out Whether flashbulb memories are different to other memories and whether it has to do with the emotions experienced by individuals during those particular events.The study  focused on the context and reception of the flashbulb memories related to Margaret Thatcher's resignation.

Sample: the sample included a mix of participants who were from the UK and from other places.

Procedure:
* The study collected data at two different time points: two weeks, and 8 months after Margaret's resignation.
* participants completed a Flashbulb Memory questionnaire that assessed their memories of the event, including the context and reception of the memory.
Findings: 
* The results showed that flashbulb memories were consistent from the initial stat collection phase(two weeks) to the later phase(8 months)
* Among the uk pts, 85.6% reported having Flashbulb memories 11 months after the event.In contrast, non-UK participants had a lower rate of Flashbulb memory formation, with only 29% reporting such memories
Conclusion:

Concluded/ suggests that flashbulb memories exist and are different from normal memories. However, they may only exist for events with personal significance

Evaluation: 
	Ethics: Since participants are asked to think about past memories about quite significant events, there may be issues relating to the ethical consideration: Protection from harm. The resignation of Marget Thatcher itself  may bring up some bad emotions and feelings or,  may bring up bad feelings from events that may have happened at the time of Margret Thatcher's resignations. This means that participants are subject to harm from thinking about emotions and bad events from times in their lives that they would rather not think about. This means that all research regarding flashbulb memory is affected by ethical considerations as the research requires past memories and emotions to be brought up, meaning that all findings will be affected in some way about these emotions and may not fully help explain how flashbulb memories form.

Self-reported data was collected by the researchers. This may have meant that participants had experienced social desirability bias when responding to the questions, in hopes to appear better by assuming model answers.this may mean that the responses form which the researchers used to draw their conclusion form was not an accurate representation and as a result, lowering both the validity and generalisation of the study. This highlights the difficulty with collecting unbiased, objective data surrounding flashbulb memories and how they influence the accuracy of recall. 
	Link:
	The study found that flashbulb memories are those that are personally significant . The UK pts showed that over 80% of them had flashbulb memories relating to the resignation of Margaret Thatcher whilst less than 30% of the other participants had flashbulb memories related to the event. This showed that flashbulb memories are not only different from other memories as they are more vividly remembered and recalled, but also that flashbulb memories are linked how personally significant the events were for the individual which also explain what makes them different from other memories through using the significant event of the resignation of margaret thatcher which was quite a big and impactful event for many of the UK citizens.
	LAQ
	Theory
→ Definitions
→ Characteristics 
→ How they are formed
→ What makes flashbulb memories special to study?

Topic Sentence 1: One way in which we can study flashbulb memories is through how emotional arousal levels may highlight a neural basis of these memories
→ Study 1: Sharot et al
* This shows how flashbulb memories are heavily linked with our emotional stimulation, highlighting the differences between flashbulb memories and normal memories as stated in theory. 
* It allows us to understand what brain parts are involved when flashbulb memories are formed. The study found that the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with emotional responses such as fear and shock further outlines support for the theory as it shows the connection between emotions and flashbulb memory formation once again. 
→ Study evaluation

Topic sentence 2: Another way flashbulb memories can be studied is through the emotional relevance of events we experience
→ Study 2: Conway 1994 
* The study shows how flashbulb memories can be identified through how emotionally relevant the experience is. 
* This can help explain why we remember certain events more vividly, as we may remember certain dei=tail and event better due to their our emotional connection to the scenario/emotional relevance of the situation with ourselves
→ study eval

Any additional TEACUP

Conclusion

Transcript for:Understanding Flashbulb Memory Theory

Transcript for:
Understanding Flashbulb Memory Theory