HL Extension - Emotion and Cognition

What are examples of digital technologies used in daily life?

Online videos, laptops, games, social media, search engines, etc.

What cognitive process is the focus of this document?

Emotion and cognition.

How is memory defined in this context?

The capacity to encode, store, and retrieve information.

What is the essay's goal?

To discuss the positive and negative effects of digital technology on emotion.

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a mental condition caused by an extremely traumatic or terrifying event.

What are common symptoms of PTSD?

Anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares.

What is Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET)?

A therapeutic technique using computer-generated environments to treat anxiety disorders like PTSD through safe, repeated exposure.

What type of study was Rothbaum (2001)?

A true experiment.

What was the aim of Rothbaum (2001)?

To study the effects of VRET on reducing PTSD symptoms in Vietnam War veterans.

What was the sample and treatment procedure? (Rothbaum)

• 10 Vietnam War veterans

• Eight 90-minute sessions, twice per week for 5–7 weeks

• Exposed to two virtual environments: a Huey helicopter and a jungle field

What were the results of Rothbaum’s study?

Patients experienced a 34% decrease in PTSD symptoms.

What was the implication of the findings? (Rothbaum)

VRET may be an effective treatment for PTSD and positively influence emotional regulation.

What is a strength of Rothbaum’s study?

Provided empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of VRET in reducing PTSD and anxiety.

What is a weakness of Rothbaum’s study?

Low generalizability due to the small and specific sample of Vietnam War veterans.

What is Flashbulb Memory (FBM)?

Vivid and detailed “snapshot” memories of emotionally significant events.

Who proposed the FBM theory?

Brown and Kulik.

What makes FBMs appear different from regular memories?

They are perceived as more accurate and are accompanied by higher confidence levels.

What are factors that affect FBMs?

• Emotional significance (personal or national)

• Physical proximity to the event

• Rehearsal (overt and covert)

How does media influence FBM formation?

Graphic imagery and repeated exposure in media or social media trigger emotional responses and reinforce FBMs through rehearsal.

What role does social media play in amplifying FBMs?

It heightens social identity and increases emotional engagement with events, reinforcing memory vividness.

What was the aim of the Ahern study?

To investigate the relationship between graphic television images and psychological symptoms after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

What was the aim of the Ahern study?

To investigate the relationship between graphic television images and psychological symptoms after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

What was the sample in the Ahern study?

Participants from Manhattan, New York.

What was the procedure of the Ahern study?

Participants completed a telephone survey covering:

• Their media exposure

• PTSD symptoms

• Depression levels

What did the results of Ahern et al. show?

• People who repeatedly saw disturbing images (e.g., individuals falling from towers) had higher PTSD prevalence.

• This was especially true for those directly affected by 9/11.

• For those not directly affected, media exposure did not correlate with PTSD or depression.

What is the key implication of Ahern’s findings?

Repeated media exposure reinforces emotional arousal and strengthens traumatic memories, illustrating digital technology’s negative role in emotion and cognition.