Page "Flashbulb memory" Paragraph 24

Some experiences are unique and distinctive, while others are familiar, commonplace, or are similar to much that has gone on before.

Distinctiveness of an event has been considered to be a main contributor to the accuracy of flashbulb memories.

The accounts of flashbulb memory that have been documented as remarkably accurate have been unique and distinctive from everyday memories.

It has been found that uniqueness of an event can be the best overall predictor of how well it will be recalled later on.

In a study conducted on randomly sampled personal events, subjects were asked to carry beepers that went off randomly.

Whenever the beeper sounded, participants recorded where they were, what they were doing, and what they were thinking.

Weeks or months later, the participants ' memories were tested.

The researchers found that recall of action depends strongly on uniqueness.

Similar results have been found in studies regarding distinctiveness and flashbulb memories ; memories for events that produced flashbulb memories, specifically various terrorist attacks, had high correlations between distinctiveness and personal importance, novelty, and emotionality.

It has also been documented that if someone has a distinctive experience during a meaningful event, then accuracy for recall will increase.

During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, higher accuracy for the recall of the earthquake was documented in participants who had distinctive experiences during the earthquake, often including a substantial disruption in their activity.