Abstract

In the present report, we compared flash-bulb memories (FBMs) for the news about the Ossetia massacre with both semantic memories (event memories = EVMs) and episodic memories (common episodic memories). Two-hundred-nineteen participants, selected for their high emotional involvement in the news, filled out the same questionnaire three times at six months lags. All three types of memories decreased over time. However, no type of confidence decreased over time. Results indicate that FBMs do not differ substantially from other episodic memories. Confidence in autobiographical memories is always high over time and, at least for EVMs, it is not based on veridicality.