a Department of Psychology , University of Waterloo , Ontario , Canada.
Memory. 2014;22(3):232-42. doi: 10.1080/09658211.2013.778290. Epub 2013 Mar 18.
Years after a shocking news event many people confidently report details of their flashbulb memories (e.g., what they were doing). People's confidence is a defining feature of their flashbulb memories, but it is not well understood. We tested a model that predicted confidence in flashbulb memories. In particular we examined whether people's social bond with the target of a news event predicts confidence. At a first session shortly after the death of Michael Jackson participants reported their sense of attachment to Michael Jackson, as well as their flashbulb memories and emotional and other reactions to Jackson's death. At a second session approximately 18 months later they reported their flashbulb memories and confidence in those memories. Results supported our proposed model. A stronger sense of attachment to Jackson was related to reports of more initial surprise, emotion, and rehearsal during the first session. Participants' bond with Michael Jackson predicted their confidence but not the consistency of their flashbulb memories 18 months later. We also examined whether participants' initial forecasts regarding the persistence of their flashbulb memories predicted the durability of their memories. Participants' initial forecasts were more strongly related to participants' subsequent confidence than to the actual consistency of their memories.
多年后，许多人自信地报道了他们的闪光灯记忆（例如，他们在做什么）的细节，这是一个令人震惊的新闻事件。人们的信心是他们闪光灯记忆的一个决定性特征，但目前还不太清楚。我们测试了一个可以预测闪光灯记忆信心的模型。具体来说，我们研究了人们与新闻事件目标的社会联系是否可以预测信心。在迈克尔·杰克逊去世后不久的第一次会议上，参与者报告了他们对迈克尔·杰克逊的依恋感，以及他们对杰克逊去世的闪光灯记忆和情绪及其他反应。大约 18 个月后的第二次会议上，他们报告了自己的闪光灯记忆以及对这些记忆的信心。结果支持了我们提出的模型。对杰克逊的依恋感越强，与第一次会议期间更多的初始惊讶、情绪和排练有关。参与者与迈克尔·杰克逊的联系预测了他们的信心，但不能预测 18 个月后他们闪光灯记忆的一致性。我们还研究了参与者最初对闪光灯记忆持久性的预测是否能预测他们记忆的持久度。参与者的初始预测与他们随后的信心更相关，而不是与他们记忆的实际一致性相关。
