Editing Flashbulb memory (section)

=== Stability over time ===

It has been argued that flashbulb memories are not very stable over time.  A study conducted on the recollection of flashbulb memories for the [[Space Shuttle Challenger|Space Shuttle ''Challenger'']] disaster sampled two independent groups of subjects on a date close to the disaster, and another eight months later. Very few subjects had flashbulb memories of the disaster after eight months. Considering only the participants who could recall the source of the news, ongoing activity, and place, researchers reported that less than 35% had detailed memories.<ref name= "Bohannon">{{Cite journal 
| last1 = Bohannon III | first1 = John Neil
| title = Flashbulb memories for the space shuttle disaster: A tale of two theories 
| doi = 10.1016/0010-0277(88)90036-4 
| journal = Cognition 
| volume = 29 
| issue = 2 
| pages = 179–196 
|date=July 1988
| pmid =  3168421
| s2cid = 41552464
}}</ref> Another study examining participants' memories of the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion found that although participants were highly confident about their memories of the event, their memories were not very accurate three years after the event had occurred.<ref name= "Neisser2">Neisser, U. & Harsh, N. (1992). "Phantom flashbulbs: False recollections of hearing the news about Challenger", ''Affect and Accuracy in Recall: Studies of flashbulb memories,'' ed. 9–31, New York: Cambridge University Press</ref> A third study conducted on the [[O. J. Simpson murder case]] found that although participants' confidence in their memories remained strong, the accuracy of their memories declined 15 months after the event, and continued to decline 32 months after the event.<ref name="Schmolck2000" />

While the accuracy of flashbulb memories may not be stable over time, confidence in the accuracy of a flashbulb memory appears to be stable over time. A study conducted on the bombing in Iraq and a contrasting ordinary event showed no difference for memory accuracy over a year period; however, participants showed greater confidence when remembering the Iraqi bombing than the ordinary event despite no difference in accuracy.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Weaver|first=C.|title=Do you need a "flash" to form a flashbulb memory?|journal=Journal of Experimental Psychology|year=1993|volume=122|pages=39–46|doi=10.1037/0096-3445.122.1.39}}</ref> Likewise, when memories for the 9/11 World Trade Center attack were contrasted with everyday memories, researchers found that after one year, there was a high, positive correlation between the initial and subsequent recollection of the 9/11 attack.  This indicates very good retention, compared to a lower positive correlation for everyday memories.<ref name= "Davidson">{{Cite journal 
| last1 = Davidson | first1 = P. S. R. 
| last2 = Cook | first2 = S. P. 
| last3 = Glisky | first3 = E. L. 
| doi = 10.1080/13825580490904192 
| pmid = 16807198 
| title = Flashbulb memories for September 11th can be preserved in older adults 
| journal = Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition 
| volume = 13 
| issue = 2 
| pages = 196–206
|date=June 2006
| url = http://amcog.arizona.edu/pdfs/davidson_cook_glisky2006.pdf <!-- also available at: http://www.sciencessociales.uottawa.ca/neuro/fra/documents/davidson_anc_06.pdf and elsewhere -->
| pmc = 2365738}}</ref> Participants also showed greater confidence in memory at the time of retrieval than the time of encoding.