The Fallibility of 9/11 Memories

How confident are you in your memories? After a dramatic, emotionally charged event such as the 9/11 terrorist attack, people describe their memories of the event as being “etched“ or “burned“ into their minds. And their confidence that such recollections are completely accurate is abnormally high compared with ordinary memories. Does this notion of a “flashbulb memory“ hold up against the data? Cognitive neuroscientist Elizabeth Phelps details a study conducted on September 12, 2001 regarding the memories surrounding this tragic event, as well as brain imaging experiments her lab has conducted. The results of which are counter-intuitive and sometimes difficult to accept. Watch the Full Program Here: Original Program Date: June 3, 2011 The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to c