Exploring the accuracy for recall of fatality number, perpetrator characteristics, and motives in USA public mass shooting events

Prior work on flashbulb memories (FBM) and traumatic events has focused primarily on recall for the experience of finding out, rather than event-specific details. Public mass shooting events (PMSE) represent a source of shared trauma and may be prone to memory errors similar or different to those identified in FBM. The current study investigated recall for the details of five public mass shooting events among American college students. Of interest were accuracy and errors in recall of the number of fatalities, number of perpetrators, perpetrator race and thematic details. Consistent with expectations, participants correctly recalled fatality count in lower-count events but underestimated them in higher-count events and were accurate in recall of number and race of perpetrator when both fit the dominant schema. Results are discussed in line with prior work and areas for future exploration are outlined.