flashbulb memory

British  

noun

1. psychol the clear recollections that a person may have of the circumstances associated with a dramatic event

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Example Sentences

In the introduction to his memoir, “In My Time of Dying,” which Simon & Schuster will publish on May 21, he describes his own near-drowning while surfing — the shock of being shoved underwater as if by an invisible hand, the flashbulb memory of dirty dishes in his sink, the way the shadow of death suddenly eclipsed an ordinary day.

From New York Times

For me, it became a flashbulb memory, a reminder that art has the power to not only divert people from their dispirited ruminations but also help them reframe their despairing mind-sets.

From Washington Post

“I think what happens is they develop a narrative about their flashbulb memory,” he said.

From New York Times

In a recent study we demonstrated that for some individuals, a medical diagnosis event does create a flashbulb memory that endures for years after the fact.

From Scientific American

The majority of respondents—nearly 80 percent—experienced a flashbulb memory after learning of their child’s Down syndrome.

From Scientific American