What type of memory is considered unreliable but often vivid because it relates to significant emotional events?

Flashbulb memories are a specific type of memory that captures significant emotional events in a way that feels vivid and detailed. This phenomenon occurs when an individual experiences a highly emotional event, such as a major life event or a tragedy. The intense emotions associated with these events can lead to strong and seemingly accurate recollections of the moment.

While many people believe these memories to be reliable due to their clarity and emotional weight, research has shown that they can be quite fallible. Details of flashbulb memories may be remembered with confidence but are often subject to distortion over time. This paradox of vividness coupled with inaccuracy can result from the emotional arousal that enhances the encoding of the memory but does not guarantee its precision.

In contrast, semantic memories pertain to facts and general knowledge, long-term memories include various types of stored information, and procedural memories relate to skills and actions. These types of memory do not share the same characteristics of vividness and emotional association that define flashbulb memories.