What Is Episodic Memory?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksEpisodic vs. Semantic MemoryTypesExamplesPropertiesImpactEffects of Damage and Disease

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How It Works

Episodic vs. Semantic Memory

Types

Examples

Properties

Impact

Effects of Damage and Disease

Close

An episodic memory is a memory of a specific event. Because each person has a different perspective and experience of an event, episodic memories of that event are unique to each person.

Closely related to this is what researchers refer to as autobiographical memory—memories of your own life history. As you can imagine, episodic and autobiographical memories play an important role in yourself-identity.

At a Glance

How Episodic Memory Works

Imagine that you get a phone call from an old college friend. You spend an evening reminiscing about amusing moments from your days at school. Your memories of those specific events and experiences are examples of episodic memory.

Episodic memories are important for shaping your personal sense of identity. These memories provide you with a sense of personal history and a shared history with others in your life.

Episodic memories are important because they allow you to recall personal experiences that helped shape your life and perceptions.

Areas of the Brain Involved in Episodic Memory

Several regions of the brain have been implicated in episodic memory. These regions of the brain are part of what is known as the default mode network. These areas include:

The hippocampus and parts of the brain found in the temporal lobe are also important in encoding, consolidating, and retrieving episodic memories.

Severalparts of the brainwork in concert to help you store and retrieve episodic memories: the temporal, parietal, and frontal cortices, diencephalon, and cerebellum. Practice, genetics, and experience all influence your ability to recall episodic memories.

Semantic memory is focused on general knowledge about the world and includes facts, concepts, and ideas. Episodic memory and semantic memory are part of the division of memory known asexplicit or declarative memory.

Semantic and Episodic Memory Are Interdependent

Researchers have found that episodic memory can also be interdependent with semantic memory.

On learning tasks, participants performed better when new information was aligned withprior knowledge, suggesting that semantic knowledge of a task provides a sort of framework for new episodic learning.

Participants were asked to remember the prices of grocery items. Those in thecontrol groupwere better able to remember these prices when the new information was congruent with their existing episodic memories of grocery prices.

Amnesiac participants in theexperimental group, however, performed much worse at remembering new information because they did not have access to episodic information from their past.

Researchers have also found that episodic memories also play a role in the retrieval of semantic memories.

In experiments where participants were asked to generate lists of items in particular categories, those who were able to rely on episodic memories performed better than amnesiac participants who did not have access to episodic memories.

Types of Episodic Memories

Episodic memories fall into a few main categories.

Specific Events

These involve memories of particular moments from personal history. Your first kiss, first day of school, a friend’s birthday party, and your brother’s graduation are all examples of episodic memories. In addition to your overall recall of the event itself, the episodic memory include the locations and times of the events.

Personal Facts

Knowing who was president the year that you got married, the make and model of your first car, and the name of your first boss are all examples of personal fact episodic memories.

General Events

Remembering what a kiss feels like is an example of this general type of memory. You do not remember each and every kiss you’ve ever shared, but you can recall what it feels like based on your personal experiences.

Flashbulb Memories

Flashbulb memoriesare vivid and detailed “snapshots” related to finding out particularly important news. Sometimes these moments might be highly personal, like the moment you found out that your grandmother had died.

Examples of Episodic Memories

Some examples of episodic memories might include:

Remember, each person’s episodic memory of an event is entirely unique. Even other people who shared the same experience may have different recollections of what happened.

Episodic memories can be of important details or events from your life (like the day you met your partner or your social security number). They also include much more mundane information.

Your memory of a particular the year you attended your first concert or of what you had for breakfast yesterday morning are also examples of episodic memory.

Nine Properties of Episodic Memory

Research indicates that episodic memory carries nine attributes.Other types of memory feature some of these, too—but only episodic memories comprise all of them. Episodic memories:

Studies also suggest that there are sex differences in episodic memory.

Research has found, for example, that women tend to outperform men on tests of episodic memory function, particularly on verbal-based episodic memory.Studies also show that women can access these memories faster and date them more accurately than men.

Impact of Episodic Memory

Episodic memory has a profound effect on your life. Tulving described it as a “mental time machine.”

Anytime you revisit a moment from your past, whether you’re remembering your first day of kindergarten, what you wore to work yesterday, or some other personal detail, you’re drawing on your episodic memory.

Such memories help create a cohesive experience. They allow you to form a personal history that plays a role in your identity and sense of self.

How Damage and Disease Can Affect Episodic Memory

Aging and neurodegenerative diseases take an extreme toll on episodic memory. For example, a decline in the ability to retrieve this kind of memory is among the first signs ofAlzheimer’s disease.

Other psychiatric conditions that can cause deficits in episodic memory:

However, such damage is difficult to assess because memories are difficult to induce and measure.

Likewise, traumatic brain injury, such as concussion, tends to impede episodic memory. Semantic memory appears to be less susceptible to this kind of damage.

What This Means For YouEpisodic memory is important because it creates the fabric of your life history. All of the tidbits of knowledge, memories of things that have happened, and details about your personal experiences are also stored in your episodic memory. It’s a bit like a mental history that allows you to revisit your paster and create a cohesive narrative about who you are and the life you’ve lived so far.If you are experiencing problems with episodic memory, it is important to talk to your doctor for further evaluation and treatment.

What This Means For You

Episodic memory is important because it creates the fabric of your life history. All of the tidbits of knowledge, memories of things that have happened, and details about your personal experiences are also stored in your episodic memory. It’s a bit like a mental history that allows you to revisit your paster and create a cohesive narrative about who you are and the life you’ve lived so far.If you are experiencing problems with episodic memory, it is important to talk to your doctor for further evaluation and treatment.

Episodic memory is important because it creates the fabric of your life history. All of the tidbits of knowledge, memories of things that have happened, and details about your personal experiences are also stored in your episodic memory. It’s a bit like a mental history that allows you to revisit your paster and create a cohesive narrative about who you are and the life you’ve lived so far.

If you are experiencing problems with episodic memory, it is important to talk to your doctor for further evaluation and treatment.

Eidetic Memory: The Reality Behind the ‘Photographic’ Mind

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brandman T, Malach R, Simony E.The surprising role of the default mode network in naturalistic perception.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):79. doi:10.1038/s42003-020-01602-zByrne JH.Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference.Elsevier Science.Renoult L, Rugg MD.An historical perspective on Endel Tulving’s episodic-semantic distinction.Neuropsychologia. 2020;139:107366. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107366Kan IP, Alexander MP, Verfaillie M.Contribution of prior semantic knowledge to new episodic learning in amnesia.J Cogn Neurosci. 2009;21:938-944. doi:10.1162/jocn.2009.21066Tulving E.Episodic memory: from mind to brain.Annu Rev Psychol. 2002;53(1):1-25. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114Conway MA.Episodic memories.Neuropsychologia. 2009;47(11):2305-2313. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.003Lundervold AJ, Wollschlager D, Wehling E.Age and sex related changes in episodic memory function in middle aged and older adults.Scand J Psychol. 2014;225-32. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12114Loprinzi PD, Frith E.The role of sex in memory function: Considerations and recommendations in the context of exercise.J Clin Med. 2018;7(6):132. doi:10.3390/jcm7060132Matthews BR.Memory dysfunction.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):613-626. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466656.59413.29Pause BM, Zlomuzica A, Kinugawa K, Mariani J, Pietrowsky R, Dere E.Perspectives on episodic-like and episodic memory.Front Behav Neurosci. 2013;7. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00033Wammes JD, Good TJ, Fernandes MA.Autobiographical and episodic memory deficits in mild traumatic brain injury.Brain Cogn. 2017;111:112-126. doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2016.11.004Additional ReadingGreenberg DL, Keane MM, Verfaellie M.Impaired category fluency in medial temporal lobe amnesia: The role of episodic memory.J Neurosci. 2009;29(35):10900-10908. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1202-09.2009

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brandman T, Malach R, Simony E.The surprising role of the default mode network in naturalistic perception.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):79. doi:10.1038/s42003-020-01602-zByrne JH.Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference.Elsevier Science.Renoult L, Rugg MD.An historical perspective on Endel Tulving’s episodic-semantic distinction.Neuropsychologia. 2020;139:107366. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107366Kan IP, Alexander MP, Verfaillie M.Contribution of prior semantic knowledge to new episodic learning in amnesia.J Cogn Neurosci. 2009;21:938-944. doi:10.1162/jocn.2009.21066Tulving E.Episodic memory: from mind to brain.Annu Rev Psychol. 2002;53(1):1-25. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114Conway MA.Episodic memories.Neuropsychologia. 2009;47(11):2305-2313. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.003Lundervold AJ, Wollschlager D, Wehling E.Age and sex related changes in episodic memory function in middle aged and older adults.Scand J Psychol. 2014;225-32. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12114Loprinzi PD, Frith E.The role of sex in memory function: Considerations and recommendations in the context of exercise.J Clin Med. 2018;7(6):132. doi:10.3390/jcm7060132Matthews BR.Memory dysfunction.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):613-626. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466656.59413.29Pause BM, Zlomuzica A, Kinugawa K, Mariani J, Pietrowsky R, Dere E.Perspectives on episodic-like and episodic memory.Front Behav Neurosci. 2013;7. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00033Wammes JD, Good TJ, Fernandes MA.Autobiographical and episodic memory deficits in mild traumatic brain injury.Brain Cogn. 2017;111:112-126. doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2016.11.004Additional ReadingGreenberg DL, Keane MM, Verfaellie M.Impaired category fluency in medial temporal lobe amnesia: The role of episodic memory.J Neurosci. 2009;29(35):10900-10908. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1202-09.2009

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Brandman T, Malach R, Simony E.The surprising role of the default mode network in naturalistic perception.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):79. doi:10.1038/s42003-020-01602-zByrne JH.Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference.Elsevier Science.Renoult L, Rugg MD.An historical perspective on Endel Tulving’s episodic-semantic distinction.Neuropsychologia. 2020;139:107366. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107366Kan IP, Alexander MP, Verfaillie M.Contribution of prior semantic knowledge to new episodic learning in amnesia.J Cogn Neurosci. 2009;21:938-944. doi:10.1162/jocn.2009.21066Tulving E.Episodic memory: from mind to brain.Annu Rev Psychol. 2002;53(1):1-25. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114Conway MA.Episodic memories.Neuropsychologia. 2009;47(11):2305-2313. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.003Lundervold AJ, Wollschlager D, Wehling E.Age and sex related changes in episodic memory function in middle aged and older adults.Scand J Psychol. 2014;225-32. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12114Loprinzi PD, Frith E.The role of sex in memory function: Considerations and recommendations in the context of exercise.J Clin Med. 2018;7(6):132. doi:10.3390/jcm7060132Matthews BR.Memory dysfunction.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):613-626. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466656.59413.29Pause BM, Zlomuzica A, Kinugawa K, Mariani J, Pietrowsky R, Dere E.Perspectives on episodic-like and episodic memory.Front Behav Neurosci. 2013;7. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00033Wammes JD, Good TJ, Fernandes MA.Autobiographical and episodic memory deficits in mild traumatic brain injury.Brain Cogn. 2017;111:112-126. doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2016.11.004

Brandman T, Malach R, Simony E.The surprising role of the default mode network in naturalistic perception.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):79. doi:10.1038/s42003-020-01602-z

Byrne JH.Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference.Elsevier Science.

Renoult L, Rugg MD.An historical perspective on Endel Tulving’s episodic-semantic distinction.Neuropsychologia. 2020;139:107366. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107366

Kan IP, Alexander MP, Verfaillie M.Contribution of prior semantic knowledge to new episodic learning in amnesia.J Cogn Neurosci. 2009;21:938-944. doi:10.1162/jocn.2009.21066

Tulving E.Episodic memory: from mind to brain.Annu Rev Psychol. 2002;53(1):1-25. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114

Conway MA.Episodic memories.Neuropsychologia. 2009;47(11):2305-2313. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.003

Lundervold AJ, Wollschlager D, Wehling E.Age and sex related changes in episodic memory function in middle aged and older adults.Scand J Psychol. 2014;225-32. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12114

Loprinzi PD, Frith E.The role of sex in memory function: Considerations and recommendations in the context of exercise.J Clin Med. 2018;7(6):132. doi:10.3390/jcm7060132

Matthews BR.Memory dysfunction.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):613-626. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466656.59413.29

Pause BM, Zlomuzica A, Kinugawa K, Mariani J, Pietrowsky R, Dere E.Perspectives on episodic-like and episodic memory.Front Behav Neurosci. 2013;7. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00033

Wammes JD, Good TJ, Fernandes MA.Autobiographical and episodic memory deficits in mild traumatic brain injury.Brain Cogn. 2017;111:112-126. doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2016.11.004

Greenberg DL, Keane MM, Verfaellie M.Impaired category fluency in medial temporal lobe amnesia: The role of episodic memory.J Neurosci. 2009;29(35):10900-10908. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1202-09.2009

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