Fun Facts About Surprises!

Surprising or shocking memories are often called “flashbulb” memories. For example, most people have a personal story about where they were and what they were doing for the big moments (both positive and negative) in their lives. 

People report that flashbulb memories feel more vivid, detailed, and feel more confident in their accuracy. However, researchers found that flashbulb memories tend to get worse over time just like the rest of our normal everyday memories.

The key finding is that surprise can make our emotions feel more intense! The best kind of surprise is an unexpected reward or appreciation: something that thrills and that goes beyond expectations!

It can feel surprisingly nice and fun to come across something that is more challenging than first expected. Surprise can facilitate curiosity, learning, and make a win feel even more worthwhile!

Surprise can be a true joy. Did you know it can be a major source of humor? Having your expectations proved wrong by something ridiculous, silly, or wonderful can be incredibly funny!

There is something fascinating about not seeing a plot twist coming. Feelings of shock or surprise might not necessarily be able to improve our memory, but they can definitely raise our interest!