Does a Vivid Memory Have to Be True?

A photograph feeling

Psychologists call some vivid memories surrounding important emotional events ‘flashbulb memories’. They can feel unusually convincing, as though the mind saved a photograph. Feeling certain, however, does not guarantee accuracy. ^[1]

The revealing comparison

In a 2003 study, 54 students described learning about the September 11 attacks and a recent everyday event. Researchers compared their accounts with later recollections. Details became less consistent over time for both kinds of memory, while the emotional memories retained more of their vividness and perceived accuracy. ^[2]

The subtle point: researchers could compare later accounts with earlier ones. A changing account shows inconsistency; it does not independently establish every detail of the original event.

Try this with an old family story: compare your recollection with a dated photograph or message before discussing it with anyone else. Treat the comparison as curiosity, rather than a verdict on whose memory is ‘bad’.