Neurotransmitters

Assignment: Research to determine the relationship between these biological components and emotion

AND

Give a thorough explanation of how each works and what areas of the brain are affected.

Norepinephrine

Norpinephrine is neurotransmitter that the brain from the sympathetic neurons that activates because of a stressful event. It affects parts of the brains such as the amygdala, where responses and attention is controlled. When released, it affects your emotion in creating a sense of well-being and a feeling of euphoria.

Serotonin

Serotonin is neurotransmitter that when released into the brain at a proper regulation, can relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. Its mainly found in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is primarily associated with memory and spatial navigation. This hormone is mainly linked to emotional and motivational aspect of human behavior. Because of its influence affect of emotions, it is often called the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. It also plays an important role in leaning and in memory, because of its linkage to the hippocampus.

Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for movement and emotional response to situations. It can enable us to see rewards and to take action to move towards them. It also affects the ability to experience pleasure and pain. This hormone is linked to depression in the way that a shortage of it, can cause depression. It is mostly found in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area and is released from the hypothalamus.

Talarico and Rubin Study (2003)

The Talarico and Rubin Study (2003)

Aim: The aim of the study was to see the properties of flashbulb memories and their influence of emotion on the person.Also, the aim was to see whether or not flashbulb memories are more consistent over time than everyday memories.

Procedure: The day after the attacks on the Trade Center (9/11) students at Duke were called on and were tested on memories of hearing about the terrorist attack the previous morning. To do this they used open-ended questionnaires to test them. One group of 18 participants, 4 male 14 female, was tested again 7 days later. The next group of 18, 6 male 12 female, was tested again after 42 days and the last group of 18, 4 male 14 female, was tested 224 days later.

Findings: They found that, just like several other studies, the recall consistency of these “flashbulb” memories was no different than that of everyday memories.

Conclusion: They concluded that Flashbulb memories are not immune to forgetting, and they aren’t any more accurate than other memories either. They fade just as quickly as other memories and have no mechanism to keep them preserved in our brains. The real only difference is the confidence in which they are answering the question. The people reporting these flashbulb are 100% sure their memories are correct.

Limitations: As most studies involving questionnaires, accuracy in which the participants answered the questions can never be known for sure. Also there are always questions on whether or not the participants where drawing from their own memories, or if their recollection  was influenced by the repeated coverage on media.

More Info:

http://911memory.nyu.edu/abstracts/talarico_rubin.pdf

Neisser and Harsch (1992) Study On Flashbulb Memory

_______Neisser and Harsch (1992)______________________________

Aim: The aim of this study was see exactly how valid the concept of a Flashbulb memory is.

Procedure: To conduct this study, a questionnaire was given to 106 different participants the next day after the Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion. Some examples of the questions asked were Where were they (the participants), What where they doing, who told them, and at what it occurred. They later (3 years) sent out the same questionnaire to the same group and compared that to the original.

Findings: Even though these were thought to be flashbulb memories, the results showed that their memories did in fact fade from the time they took the questionnaire to the time they took it again later. They had originally had 220 facts but later were either completely or partially wrong on 150 of them. Even with these steep errors, the members where very confident about their correctness of their memory.

Conclusion: In the end, they figured that flashbulb memories really aren’t as vivid and correct as previously thought. They fade just as quickly as normal memories. The real only difference in these memories is that when someone thinks they have a flashbulb memory, they have very high confidence that they have all the details correct.

Limitations: Because this information was collected through a questionnaire, it is nearly impossible verify the precision of the reports.

 Links To info.

http://as-psychology.pbworks.com/w/page/9174277/KeyStudyNeisser

http://mypsychologyib1blog.blogspot.sk/2012/12/flashbulb-memory.html

Brow and Kulik (1977) Study on Flashbulb Memories

___ Brown and Kulik (1977)_______________________

Aim:  The aim of study was to investigate whether or not dramatic or personally significant events can cause "flashbulb" memories.

Procedure: The study entailed 40 white and 40 black participants reading and answering a questionnaire on whether or not they could recall vivid memories of hearing of events such as JFKs assassination, Malcom “X”, Martin Luthur Kings assassination, and Princess Dianas death. They tested their theories comparing consequential events vs nonconsequential events.

Findings: The experiment found that Flash Bulb Memories are more likely to e created or remembered because of surprising or unexpected events and very personal relevant events. (eg: Death of close friend, family member).

Conculsion: Dramatic events in a person life can cause them to have a psychological imprinting of the event with vivid details and a very confident feeling that their information is 100% correct.

Weakness: Because this information was collected through a questionare, it is nearly impossible verify the precision of the reports.

http://www.nickoh.com/emacs_files/psychology/ss_dir/brown_kulik1977.html

http://kicibpsychology.wikispaces.com/APFCC+-+Brown+and+Kulik