How are flashbulb memories different than ordinary memories?

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When evaluating how flashbulb memories differ from ordinary memories, it helps to separate confidence, vividness, and accuracy. 
Option 1: 'There is higher confidence in flashbulb memories.' Research consistently shows that people report higher confidence and vividness for events they perceive as emotionally intense or surprising, which characterizes flashbulb memories. However, confidence does not guarantee accuracy. 
Option 2: 'There is no difference between flashbulb memories and ordinary memories.' This is misleading because, subjectively, flashbulb memories often feel more vivid and are accompanied by greater confidence and more detailed recollections about where and when one learned of the event. These differences in phenomenology indicate a distinction from typical everyday memories. 
Option 3: 'They are more accurate than ordinary memories.' This claim is not supported by evidence. In fact, studies show flashbulb memories can be no more accurate and sometimes even less accurate than ordinary memories, due to factors like reconstruction, post-event information, and emotional arousal influencing memory processes. 
Option 4: 'The question cannot be answered because the veracity of flashbulb memories cannot be established.' While it is true that memory veracity is complex and often debated, researchers have identified reliable patterns about confidence and vividness in flashbulb memories that allow for comparative statements against ordinary memories. The available literature provides at least partial answers about differences in confidence and phenomenology, even if accuracy remains nuanced.

PSYC20007_2025_SM2 Week 10: False Memory

How are flashbulb memories different than ordinary memories?

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