Flashbulb Memories Essay Example
| Flashbulb Memories | College Research | | | |
Flashbulb memories are highly vivid and personal memories that are usually personal or historical/universal. In order to determine the importance of certain qualities pertaining to the Comprehensive and Photographic Model, we researched/surveyed numerous college students. We asked them to identify their top three most vivid memories and to briefly describe them. They were then asked to rate the ‘flashbulb quality’ of other potential, example memories. Most students’ flashbulb memories were positive and personal. Very few students had universal flashbulb memories, and just as few had negative vivid memories. |
Main Idea Roger Brown and James Kulik coined the term ‘flashbulb memory’ in 1977, to define extremely vivid, highly detailed memories that evoke an emotionally arousing response. The name flashbulb memory was given because upon recalling the specific memory it feels as if the mind has "taken a picture" of the circumstances in which the news of the event was learned. Due to the high level of emotional importance, these memories reside within a person and are typically remembered for extremely long periods of time. Flashbulb memories can be identified as either personal or universal/historical. A personal memory is directly related to one’s personal life, where as a universal or historical flashbulb memory is related to a political or nationally recognized event. Some examples of personal flashbulb memories are Christmas morning breakfasts, graduation, or a death of a loved one. Universal or historical flashbulb memories are related to events such as 9/11, president assassination, and natural disasters.
Doing some of the first research on flashbulb memories, Brown and Kulik believed that there was a special biological memory mechanism in the brain that, when triggered by an emotional event created a permanent record of the experience and the contents surrounding it. They also hypothesized
Flashbulb memories are highly vivid and personal memories that are usually personal or historical/universal. In order to determine the importance of certain qualities pertaining to the Comprehensive and Photographic Model, we researched/surveyed numerous college students. We asked them to identify their top three most vivid memories and to briefly describe them. They were then asked to rate the ‘flashbulb quality’ of other potential, example memories. Most students’ flashbulb memories were positive and personal. Very few students had universal flashbulb memories, and just as few had negative vivid memories. |
Main Idea Roger Brown and James Kulik coined the term ‘flashbulb memory’ in 1977, to define extremely vivid, highly detailed memories that evoke an emotionally arousing response. The name flashbulb memory was given because upon recalling the specific memory it feels as if the mind has "taken a picture" of the circumstances in which the news of the event was learned. Due to the high level of emotional importance, these memories reside within a person and are typically remembered for extremely long periods of time. Flashbulb memories can be identified as either personal or universal/historical. A personal memory is directly related to one’s personal life, where as a universal or historical flashbulb memory is related to a political or nationally recognized event. Some examples of personal flashbulb memories are Christmas morning breakfasts, graduation, or a death of a loved one. Universal or historical flashbulb memories are related to events such as 9/11, president assassination, and natural disasters.
Doing some of the first research on flashbulb memories, Brown and Kulik believed that there was a special biological memory mechanism in the brain that, when triggered by an emotional event created a permanent record of the experience and the contents surrounding it. They also hypothesized