Memories, for most people, can be described as a fuzzy picture. However, there are some images that protrude out in our minds more so than others. These are called flashbulb memories. Flashbulb memories are the memories we claim we will “never forget”. For example, where you were when hearing about the attacks on September 11th or the exact moment when you got the news of a friends passing away. Original research on flashbulb memories believed because people offered such vivid detail in such a confident manor that the details provided were correct. This has been proven false. But, flashbulb memories are only special in their perceived accuracy and are not special in accuracy themselves. These memories are “not immune to forgetting, nor are the uncommonly consistent over time.” A study was performed following the attacks on 9/11. On September 12, 2001, psychologists Talarico and Rubin asked participants to tell them where, when, and whom they heard new of the attacks from, also who they were with and what they were doing. Participants were asked identical questions about the same situation 1, 6, and 32 weeks following. The researcher found a decline in consistent details and an increase in inconsistent details over time from each participant. Even President George W. Bush showed inconsistencies in his recollection of 9/11. Multiple times following the attacks, he claimed to have seen footage of the first plane hitting the twin towers on a television at a school he was visiting. However, footage of the first tower being hit was not released until the day after the attacks. Understanding how flashbulb memories work prove this to be an easy mistake in the memory of an event, as well as showing how media can influence how we remember things. Understanding how flashbulb memories work is recognizing that what may look like a lie could simply be a tainted, or skewed memory.
Many people believe that the trait of a photographic memory is a lucky gift given to only a few select human beings. That one might be able to memorize an entire test in their mind and recite every word and answer back correctly sounds like a dream. But, like most dreams, you wake up and reality sets in. While proof of photographic memories do it exist, it is not necessarily in the way many believe. Japanese memoirist, Hideaki Tomoyori, held the world record for repeating the first 40,000 digits of the mathematical constant Pi…completely from memory. But it is proven that memoirists such as Hideaki demonstrate superior memory for only some types of material, often for somewhat meaningless strings of letters or digits. When tested with other material, such as faces of other visual stimuli, their performance is less impressive, often returning to the level of ordinary people. (Maguire, Valentine, Wilding, &Kapur, 2003) In relation to the photographic memory is the theory of eidetic imagery, people who poses this ability claim to see images of visuals, like paintings or photographs that have been seen but are no longer present. Claiming to see the image outside of their body, not just in their minds, as if it were still there.
References
Turtle, J., & Want, S. (2008). Logic and Research Versus Intuition and Past Practice as Guides to Gathering and Evaluating Eyewitness Evidence. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 1241-1256.
Many people believe that the trait of a photographic memory is a lucky gift given to only a few select human beings. That one might be able to memorize an entire test in their mind and recite every word and answer back correctly sounds like a dream. But, like most dreams, you wake up and reality sets in. While proof of photographic memories do it exist, it is not necessarily in the way many believe. Japanese memoirist, Hideaki Tomoyori, held the world record for repeating the first 40,000 digits of the mathematical constant Pi…completely from memory. But it is proven that memoirists such as Hideaki demonstrate superior memory for only some types of material, often for somewhat meaningless strings of letters or digits. When tested with other material, such as faces of other visual stimuli, their performance is less impressive, often returning to the level of ordinary people. (Maguire, Valentine, Wilding, &Kapur, 2003) In relation to the photographic memory is the theory of eidetic imagery, people who poses this ability claim to see images of visuals, like paintings or photographs that have been seen but are no longer present. Claiming to see the image outside of their body, not just in their minds, as if it were still there.
References
Turtle, J., & Want, S. (2008). Logic and Research Versus Intuition and Past Practice as Guides to Gathering and Evaluating Eyewitness Evidence. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 1241-1256.