Sharot et al.

Aim

Investigate the biological basis of flashbulb memory and determine the role of the amygdala in emotional memory recall related to 9/11.

What type of experiment was conducted to study flashbulb memory related to 9/11?

A quasi-experiment conducted 3 years after 9/11.

Who were the participants in the study?

Participants who were in New York City on 9/11.

What method was used to assess participants' memories during the study?

Participants underwent fMRI scanning while recalling 9/11-related memories and summer holiday memories.

What kind of cues were used to assist memory retrieval in the study?

Word cues like 'September' for 9/11 memories and 'Summer' for summer holiday memories.

What did participants rate regarding their memories?

Participants rated their memories for vividness, detail, confidence, and arousal.

What did ppts write about their memories?

Descriptions

What percentage of participants reported having flashbulb memories?

Only half of the participants reported having flashbulb memories.

How did proximity to the World Trade Center affect memory recall?

Participants closer to the World Trade Center reported more vivid and detailed memories.

What was observed regarding amygdala activation in participants?

Amygdala activation was higher when recalling 9/11 memories for those closer to the event

What did amygdala activation correlate with?

Flashbulb memory formation

What is the conclusion drawn from the findings of the study?

Personal proximity to a traumatic event enhances emotional memory encoding via the amygdala, which plays a key role in flashbulb memories.

What is a major factor in strong emotional memory recall?

Direct personal experiences

(+) What was a positive evaluation point of the study regarding internal validity?

High internal validity as no demand characteristics were present; memory recall could not be consciously manipulated.

(-) What was a negative evaluation point regarding ecological validity?

Low ecological validity due to the nature of the study and the artificial fMRI setting.

(-) What was a limitation of the study related to generalizability?

Low generalizability due to a small, culturally biased sample, making findings possibly non-generalizable across different cultures.