- Cognition and emotion are bidirectionally linked.
- Cognitive processes, such as memory, are influenced by emotion, and emotional responses are shaped by how we interpret and evaluate situations.
- Emotion can enhance or hinder memory reliability.
- For example, emotionally arousing events may trigger stronger memory consolidation through mechanisms such as flashbulb memories or hormonal effects like cortisol release.
- Emotion-related changes in cognition may serve evolutionary purposes.
- For example, emotion can improve survival through better recall of dangerous or rewarding situations.
Flashbulb Memories
Flashbulb Memory
A vivid, detailed memory of an emotionally significant event, often remembered with high confidence but not always with complete accuracy.
- Two mechanisms of flashbulb memory:
- Formation: Requires surprise and personal consequentiality to trigger emotional arousal, leading to a detailed and vivid memory imprint.
- Maintenance: Achieved through overt rehearsal (discussing the event) and covert rehearsal (mentally replaying the event).
Key Studies
Case studyBrown & Kulik, 1977
Aim: To investigate the factors influencing the formation and maintenance of flashbulb memories related to significant events.
Method
- Correlational study with elements of a quasi-experiment.
- Participants completed a questionnaire about 10 events (nine public, one personal).
Participants: 40 White Americans and 40 Black Americans, aged 20–60.
Procedure
- Participants wrote a free recall of the circumstances surrounding their learning of the events.
- Rated each event's personal consequentiality and frequency of overt rehearsal on a 5-point scale.
Results
- Black participants showed more vivid memories of events involving civil rights leaders (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.) due to higher personal consequentiality.
- Across groups, vividness correlated with both personal consequentiality and overt rehearsal.
Conclusion
The findings support the roles of surprise and personal consequentiality in the formation of flashbulb memories and the role of rehearsal in maintaining their vividness.
Sharot et al. (2007)
Aim
To investigate whether flashbulb memories are associated with specific neural activation patterns.
Method
- Mixed design experiment involving both independent and repeated measures.
- Participants recalled 9/11 memories and control memories under an fMRI scanner.
Participants
- 24 individuals present in New York City during the 9/11 attacks.
- Divided into:
- Downtown group: Close to the World Trade Center.
- Midtown group: A few miles away.
Procedure
- Participants responded to cue words ("summer" or "September") and recalled memories accordingly.
- Measured amygdala activation during memory retrieval.
Results
- Selective activation of the left amygdala occurred during 9/11 memory recall, particularly in the Downtown group.
- Amygdala activation correlated with proximity to the event (r = 0.45, p < 0.05).
- No such activation was observed for control memories.
Conclusion
The left amygdala appears to play a key role in flashbulb memories, particularly for events with high emotional and personal significance.
Critical Thinking
Bidirectional Influences:
- Emotion enhances cognitive processes like memory consolidation through hormonal activation (e.g., cortisol), while cognition also shapes emotions.
- This dynamic interplay shows that emotions and cognition are mutually influential, impacting memory, decision-making, and behavior.
Recognizing this helps improve emotional regulation and cognitive performance in areas like therapy, education, and decision-making.
Accuracy vs. Vividness:
- Emotionally vivid memories, like flashbulb memories, are often assumed to be accurate but can contain distortions.
- The confidence in these memories may not reflect their reliability, raising concerns about contexts like eyewitness testimony where emotional arousal may skew details.
Rehearsal Effects and Applications:
- Rehearsal, such as retelling or recalling, reinforces the emotional salience of memories, often more than initial encoding.
- Understanding the emotional-cognitive link informs treatments for disorders like PTSD, where strategies like CBT or EMDR help reduce emotional intensity and manage intrusive memories.
