Analysis 3 experiments

New Understanding Of How We Remember Traumatic Events
1. Conducted by: Neuroscientists at The University of Queensland
How it was conducted and results: They studied the amygdala under a cellular mechanism looking at the formation of emotional memories. They concluded that noradrenaline affects the amygdala by controlling chemical and electrical pathways in the brain responsible for memory formation.
Research applied to real-life: This research explains how you remember things for a very long time by the emotional impact it shows you. This results may also help other scientists discover better treatments for traumatic events.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081028103111.htm

Some Short-Term Memories Die Suddenly, No Fading 2. Conducted by: Weiwei Zhang, Steve Luck and Brain
How it was conducted and results: They developed a pair of tests that measured wether the memory still existed and the accuracy of the short term memory, these tests were giving to 12 adults.
In the first test, three squares of different colors flashed for a tenth of a second on a computer screen. After an interval of one, four or 10 seconds a wheel showing the entire spectrum of colors appeared on the screen. The three squares also reappeared, only now they were colorless and one of them was highlighted. They were asked to recall the color of the highlighted square and click on the area of the wheel that most closely matched it. Each subject repeated this test 150 times for each of the three memory retention intervals.
When subjects retained a memory of the color, they clicked very close to it on the wheel — the distance between the click and the actual color indicating the accuracy of the memory. When color had disappeared from memory, however, subjects clicked at random on the wheel.The second test was similar to the first, but used shapes instead of colors. Published in the April issue of the journal Psychological Science, the study found that subjects “either had the memory or didn’t have the memory,” Luck said, “and the probability of having it decreased between four and ten seconds. The memories did not gradually fade away.” The finding provides insight into the underlying mechanisms behind memory formation and retention.
Research applied to real-life: The findings are being incorporated into a study of people with schizophrenia.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429091806.htm

The Memories You Want To Forget Are The Hardest Ones To Lose


3. Conducted by: Keith Payne & Elizabeth Corrigan
How it was conducted and results: The UNC recorded the reaction of 218 participants to photographs, here they understood the ways that emotion constrains mental control and to the question of whether intentional forgetting can be helpful in coping with painful or traumatic experiences.
Research applied to real-life: This applies that your emotions place limits on the ability to control the contents of the mind, meaning that perhaps you feel mad, so then you are less likely to remember something or control yourself.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070815105026.htm