Flashbulb Memory

individual. If more cues are recalled in the person’s memory it is more likely that flashbulb memory is going to be maintain vivid and confident over the time. Once the memory is created rehearsal process is used to bring that memory back into the present moment (Brown and Kulik 1997).

Consistency and accuracy are two important components of flashbulb memories. A big number of studies have researched consistency of Feb memories during the time, among this study it has been indicated that consistency can best be described as the same information being recalled at different points in time. There are few factors that can influence the consistency of flashbulb memories memories. People who experienced high traumatic events tend to have more consistency

It can be said that media source is the biggest external factor that influence flashbulb memories. General exposure to media images has been found that can either improve retention of the news story or can distort memory of the news. (E.g., David 1998) It can affect the formation and quality of flashbulb memories in a various ways. As sometimes media sources are the only sources about the current news people can be easily manipulated by the information’s media gives to the public. Not knowing the accuracy and truthfulness of these information’s we can form our attitudes and behavior, according to news were being given. In a 2004 study published in the journal Cognition and Emotion of bombing two Moscow apartment buildings 1999 Russian participants reported visions of wounded animals, even though that was false memory some participants were very confident in their description of bleeding cats and barking dogs. A similar case was with case of 9/11, people were claiming that they have seen the video of the first plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center despite the fact that such video was not released days after the attack. This deviation in accuracy of flashbulb memories can be caused by various of different and unreliable

A wide range of different factors may influence the formation of flashbulb memories so as relevant prior knowledge, consequentiality of the event to the person’s life, surprise, novelty of the event, person’s emotional state during the event etc. In order to maintain and recall that memory back process of rehearsal is used. During that process person use cues in order to form that memory. Once a memory is formed it becomes part of long term memory. Flashbulb memories are often studied as memories of extraordinary public events, but each flashbulb memory is unique regarding to an individual’s circumstances and context of place and time of the event. The difference between these memories and everyday memories is the role of high emotions and surprise that occurs at the moment of the event, most people cannot remember what they were wearing two days ago, but important memories as weeding or birth of the child tend to be stored as highly vivid and detailed memory. It is because importance and personal involvement are one of the main factors in the formation of these memories. Biological theory by (E. Phelps) involves the amygdala, the brain area known for making emotional memories as the key part of formation emotionally high flashbulb memories. Amygdala focuses attention on this highly emotional information and exclude everything around us, and as it is already known