Sample response

One theory about how emotion may affect one cognitive process is Flashbulb Memory Theory by Brown & Kulik (1977). Brown & Kulik believed that strong emotional experiences led to memories that are detailed, accurate, vivid, and resistant to forgetting. They argued that there were two key components to the creation of a flashbulb memory.  First, there is the element of surprise. The researchers proposed the "special mechanism" hypothesis that suggested that there were biological factors that led to the creation of these memories, although they did not know what those mechanisms were. Secondly, the researchers argued that the event had to have "personal meaning" for the person.  If there was the combination of a strong emotional response based on surprise and personal meaning, then the result is a flashbulb memory.

Researchers now know that when adrenaline reaches the brain it activates the amygdala in the limbic system to send a message that something important or dangerous has happened. The amygdala plays a key role in creating emotional memories.

McGaugh & Cahill (1995) did an experiment to study the role of emotional arousal on memory. The participants were divided into two groups. Each group saw 12 slides and heard a different story. In the first condition, the participant heard a boring story about a woman and her son who paid a visit to the son’s father in a hospital where they watched the staff in a disaster preparation drill. In the second condition, the participant heard a story where the boy was involved in a car accident where his feet were severed. He was quickly brought to the hospital where the surgeons reattached the injured limbs. Then he stayed in the hospital for a few weeks and then went home with his mother. A third group heard the same story as the second group, but they were given beta-blockers.  Beta-blockers block the receptor sites for adrenaline in the amygdala. Two weeks later the participants were asked to come back and have their memory tested. Two weeks later the participants were asked to come back and have their memory tested.

The researchers found that the participants who had heard the more emotional story had a better recall of specific details of the story. They could also recall more details from the slides.  However, if they heard the emotional story and had received beta-blockers, they had no better recall than the first group that did not hear the emotional story. This may be evidence to support Brown & Kulik’s original theory of the "special mechanism". It appears that emotion may have an effect on the accuracy of one’s memories.