Flashbulb memory is when one experiences a memory that deals with a quick flash of a memory. Even if the memory appears quickly, it nevertheless expresses very vivid details of the event. A flash memory is triggered by a surprising or consequential event. In the film The Butterfly Effect, Evan experiences flashbulb memories when he rereads his journal. He is able to feel the emotions that occurred in this memory and notice things that he missed when the event actually took place. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Automatic processing is when a person is able to perform tasks without thinking too much about what they are doing. The task is often accomplished out of habit due to repetition. Effortful processing involves using conscious effort to complete a task. Due to Evan's "blackout" condition, he does not have automatic processing capability. Usually, we are able to quickly think back to a past memory. Additionally, Evan also lacks the processing capacity, as his blackouts prevent him from minutely remembering past events from his childhood. In order to visit a memory, Evan uses effort processing by rereading his journals. The self-reference effect occurs when one encodes information differently based on that person's personal experience and views on that information. In the film, Evan's father was known to suffer from a mental illness that was poorly understood by others. However, as Evan grew older, he was able to better understand his father's illness due to the fact that he had experienced what his father had experienced. This helps him understand his own blackout episodes. In Roger Ebert's review of the film, the film is rated 3.5 stars out of 5. I partly agree with Ebert that the changes Evan made only affected those who were present in his life and not the whole world in a broader sense. However, focusing entirely on the changes to the world would take away from the meaning of the film and how the diary ultimately contributed to the recovery of Evan's memory. I don't agree with the fact that it seems like he's being pushed around throughout the film. I feel like this point in the film - where Evan is constantly traveling through his memories - is significant. This allows the audience to experience what it means to be in Evan's mind and how the constant changes he makes to his memories negatively impact him. Overall, I feel like the film deserves at least 4 out of 5 stars because it adequately depicts the chaos that accompanies Evan's experience and not every outcome is positive. I would definitely recommend this film as a must see. By watching this movie, one could learn several valuable lessons about life. On the one hand, the overall plot of the film shows that as humans we make mistakes, but those mistakes help shape us into who we are and what we will become. Additionally, this film illustrates how a person's life outcome is greatly affected by the environment in which they grow up. This film is also educational in the psychological sense and teaches about flash memory and other aspects important to brain and memory functions in general. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. .Get a Custom Essay One major aspect of the memory process that I have not covered in class is implicit and explicit memory. Memory..