Think of a moment when you got some shocking news, maybe a national event or even when your sibling ate the last slice of your favorite pizza (the horror!). You probably remember every detail vividly, right? That's what we call a "flashbulb memory." It's a highly detailed, exceptionally vivid memory of a moment or circumstances in which surprising and consequential (or emotionally arousing) news was heard. Kind of like a snapshot or a "flashbulb" going off in your brain. Now let's dive into some exciting research studies that help us understand this phenomenon better.

Our first stop is California, 1989, when a severe earthquake shook the residents. Neisser et al. studied flashbulb memories of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. People living close to the earthquake (Californians) and some from Atlanta (far from the earthquake) were interviewed shortly after the event and then again 18 months later.

Findings

Californians' memories of the earthquake were almost perfect. (Like recalling every frame of your favorite movie, impressive, right?)

Atlantans with relatives in the affected area remembered significantly more than those who didn't. (Probably because they were more emotionally involved).

However, stress or arousal levels weren't significantly correlated with recall. Some Californians even reported low levels of emotional arousal.

Most interestingly, repeated narrative rehearsals (discussing the event often) seemed to play an essential role. So, remember when you couldn't stop talking about that soccer match where your team won in the last minute? You were basically rehearsing and reinforcing your memory of the event!