Flashbulb Memory - Brown & Kulik (1977)

Brown & Kulik (1977) described flashbulb memories, suggesting that dramatic events can imprint a powerful impression in peoples' memories, and argued that there may be some physiological process involved in encoding such a memory. Such events as the Kennedy assassination, or Princess Diana's death are examples of events which bring us flashbulb memories.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether dramatic, or personally significant events can cause "flashbulb" memories.

Procedure: Participants were asked a series of questions about their memories of ten major events, such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. They were asked questions such as where they were when they heard the news, what were they doing, etc. 

Findings: Memories for such events were particularly vivid, detailed and long lasting. People usually remembered where they were when they heard of the news, how they heard it, what they and others were doing at the time, and the emotional impact of the news on themselves and those around them.

Conclusion:  Dramatic events can cause a physiological imprinting of a memory of the event

Weaknesses: 1. Data collected through questionnaires, so it is impossible to verify the accuracy of memories reported

2. It could be that dramatic events are rehearsed more than usual, making memories more durable, rather than any "imprinting" process causing flashbulb memories