1. Flashbulb memory Originally described by Brown & Kulik (1977):
Exceptionally vivid memories
Usually of important events with emotional significance
Resistant to forgetting over time
Debate centres on whether they are a special case, or the same as other memories

2. Flashbulb memory
Typical ‘flashbulb’ events are dramatic, unexpected, shocking
E.g. disasters, deaths of prominent figures (esp. if unexpected), momentous events
World Trade Centre
Kennedy, Princess Diana
Fall of Berlin Wall

3. Flashbulb memory Where you were What you were doing
How you were informed
How you reacted
How others around you reacted

4. Flashbulb memory Surveys about dramatic events:
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

5. Flashbulb memory Challenges to concept of FBM:
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’

6. Flashbulb memory
Platania & Hertkorn (1998) – recall for death of Princess Diana
consistency
Imm weeks
confidence
everyday
Diana

7. Flashbulb memory Squire (2000) – recall of OJ Simpson verdict
100%
50% 0%
Highly accurate
Contained major distortions
1 mo 12 mo 15 mo 3 years

8. Flashbulb memories
Relatively little evidence for FBMs 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