Autobiographical Memory Week 9: Flashbulbs

This week, I want us to begin by discussing whether or not we believe that flashbulb memories are a distinct kind of memory.  Put another way, is there anything to be gained from studying flashbulb memories?  Should there be a week in the syllabus devoted to reading the flashbulb memory literature?  How woud you define flashbulb memories?  If you think that flashbulb memories are distinct and/or worthy of study, explain how they are special, or what their study might teach us about memory.  Similarly, if you do not think flashbulb memories are worthy of study, why not?  Note that you do not have to believe that flashbulb memories are produced by a 'special memory mechanism' to argue that flashbulb memories are worthy of study.