Emotional Memories in Laboratory Studies versus Real-life Studies: Do they compare?

Abstract

This article compares some of the empirical findings from laboratory studies and real-life studies concerning emotional memories, focusing on how detailed and persistent these memories are over time. Some recent research is presented indicating that emotional memories are relatively accurate and persistent with respect to central details of violent acts or accidents (e.g.,the victim/perpetrator, action, weapon, clothing), but not necessarily with respect to peripheral details or surrounding circumstances of the emotional incident (e.g., bystanders, date, time). Instead of assuming that emotional memories in laboratory and real-life settings are qualitatively different, as has been claimed elsewhere in the literature (e.g., Yuille & Cutshall, 1989, in press), it is concluded that memory performance of witnesses to an actual crime or accident compares to findings in laboratory research on emotional events.