Permanent Flashbulb Memories?

Melanie L. Newby

Remembering any horrific events or situation in life is very weary and dreadful. Especially, at times where you allow your mind to wander and reflect on the events. As well as doing something that you were doing at the time you got that unwanted, disturbing phone call or terrible news. Millions of people around the world reflect on traumatic events, an example would be 9/11. “Any memory for circumstances surrounding and hearing about shocking, highly charge events. It has been claimed that such memories are particularly vivid and accurate,” is known to be flashbulb memories, (Goldstein,B. (2011) Cognitive Psychology. Chapter 8). Just take one moment to think back on that time. What were you doing during that time period? How did you hear about it? Think about those who received the news about one or many of their family members and how they felt at the time. Either way you think about it is a very touchy topic. Flashbulb memories are said to be like a “photograph based on individuals descriptions of what they remembered about the events,” (Cognitive Psychology, p.29).

However, according to Brown and Kulik’s “Now Print” proposal stating that flashbulbs are nothing like photographs. So with that being said, is it possible that when given a chance to talk and recall tragic events, the memory can be fabricated and unlikely permanent? Well, they proposed flashbulb events fades overtime, unlike photographs that remain the same for many years. BUT, how is it possible to forget memories (details) like 9/11 and or what you were doing that time? Well, according to the text, flashbulb memories are no different from everyday memories. Details can fade away. The results from Talarico and Rubins (2003) flashbulb memory experiment. “The decrease in the numbers of details remembered was similar for memories like 9/11 and for memories of an everyday event. Yet, participants belief  that their memory was accurate remained high for 9/11, but decreased for memories of the everyday event. So, is there really difference between everyday memories and flashbulb memories? Are flashbulb memories permanent? From my understanding flashbulb memories can fade away like a normal memory. However, something or maybe a person may trigger flashbulb memory like seeing the date or time (9:11;9/11) or hearing someone talking about it. Flashbulb memories are indeed permanent. You are always going to remember the death of someone or what the horrific situation may be. That is, if you do not choose to block the memory out.

References:

Goldstein,B. (2011) Cognitive Psychology. Chapter 8