amygdala
sharot, 2007
highly reactive with memory when emotion is involved
Special mechanism hypothesis
Brown and Kulick
that a biological mechanism is triggered by events with high level of surprise which increases their ability to move into LTM
Ordinary memory hypothesis
flashbulb memory is not important but that the personal circumstances increase the environmental situations where these events would be rehearsed and recalled which is actually the functions which leads to them moving into LTM (Neisser, 1988)
Brown and Kulick 1977
40 americans, 40 non americans
9 national stories, 1 personal
They remembered more vivid info from personal story
As well as remembered more correct info from the stories which were relevant to where they came from
Sharot 2007
Sample took participants from general new york and from manhattan > they were closer to the explosions
Those closest could remember more, explain where they were and what appended when they saw/ heard the explosion
They info they gave could be confirmed by other parties and they all held consistency
No way to tell that was because of the personal circumstances or ordinary memory hypothesis
rubin 2020 special mechnism hypothesis
originally assumed an automatic encoding of all aspects of an important (emotional) event as it happened
Personal circumstances
increase flashbulb memory precision
Danish resident
Larsen 1988
Discussed events in america > the moon landings > 1969, jfk assasination > 1963
She could answer questions in detail about the events and her responses held high validity
They did not fully maintain the same level of precision as american citizens but that may be due to news articles and the sources she heard from
findings > danish resident
She had no affiliation with anyone from the US and so her memory held no emotional or personal circumstances < also not part of her daily life, she did not need to know any of these specific events
Disproved special mechanism theory
