Emotional Factors in Forgetting Research into emotional factors in forgetting challenges the more traditional explanations of forgetting from Long Term Memory.

2. Flashbulb Memories  This is concerned with how emotional factors enhance memory. i.e. significant events are remembered more clearly than you would usually expect.

Flashbulb memories  Term first introduced by Brown & Kulik (1977)  Defined as: “an unusually vivid & detailed recollection people have of………an emotionally arousing event”(Cohen, 1998)

Look at the next slide of the September 11 th attack in New York and write down: 1. Where you were when you fist heard of the attack. 2. Who you were with? 3. What you were doing at the time? 4. What time of day was it?

Brown & Kulik’s explanation  High levels of emotion, surprise & consequentiality triggers a special neural mechanism.  This mechanism causes the whole scene to be ‘printed’ on the memory.  This is an evolutionary adaptive behaviour.

Evaluation  Neisser (1982) criticised Brown & Kulik’s explanation as follows: 1. The image(s) are not imprinted on the memory. 2. Images are remembered because they are rehearsed more because of their significance & importance. 3. Emotion has little to do with it – this is a reconstructive view of such memories.

Research Findings  Positive:  Brown & Kulik’s (1977) original research supported their model.  Negative:  Wright (1993) – if evidence finds that ‘flashbulb’ memories are inaccurate then this would support Neisser and criticise Brown & Kulik. Wright’s research into memories of the Hillsborough disaster challenges Brown & Kulik’s explanation