Introduction to Psychology 1/IPSY103/Functions and structures/Reflections

The learning pathway discusses flashbulb memories – exceptionally clear and detailed memories for surprising events. The notion is that the brain encodes all of the details of that event in an effort to identify which environmental factors might help to predict a similar event in the future. As a consequence, people often report vivid memories for hearing about public events with a high-level of irrelevant detail – where they were, who they were with, what they were wearing, the weather at the time, etc.

Do you have a flashbulb memory for any of the following events?

• Assassination of John F Kennedy
• OJ Simpson Guilty Verdict
• Attack on the Twin Tower on 9/11
• 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami
• Death of Princess Diana
• London Subway Bombing
• Death of Michael Jackson
• Call to lockdown during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic

The kinds of event and the age of the event will say a lot about you personally ;)

You can either record your efforts in your private learning journal or you can make your learning public on your blog by using the hastags #IPSY103 #FlashbulbMemory. Using these hashtags will allow WEnotes to harvest your contribution and add them to the Course feed.