Semantic memory is a category of explicit memory that stores knowledge about words, concepts, and language-based facts. This type of memory is typically reported as objective facts rather than personal stories. It encompasses general knowledge about the world, such as the definition of 'psychology' or the name of the first African American president of the United States.

Semantic Memory

Episodic memory is a form of explicit memory that captures information about personally experienced events, or 'episodes.' It is often recalled and reported in a narrative or story format. This type of memory includes the specific details of an event—what happened, where it occurred, and when it took place. Recalling an episodic memory often involves the recollection of visual imagery and a sense of familiarity with the past event.

Episodic Memory

Flashbulb memory is a type of explicit, long-term memory that involves having a very clear and vivid recollection of a significant event. For example, many individuals can recall where they were at and who they were with during 9/11. 

Flashbulb Memory

Read the following narrative. Analyze the different memories the speaker describes and identify one clear example of semantic memory and one clear example of episodic memory. For each example, explain your reasoning based on the characteristics of the memory.

Analyzing Types of Memory in a Conversation

- Semantic memory
- Episodic memory
- Flashbulb memory

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Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, refers to information that we consciously try to remember, recall, and report. This type of memory can be articulated in words. For instance, the material learned while studying for an exam is part of explicit memory. Using a computer analogy, explicit memories are like files saved on a hard drive; they are not always on the 'desktop' of short-term memory but can be retrieved when needed. However, not all explicit memories are equally strong, and some may require prompts to be recalled.

Explicit (Declarative) Memory

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

I was previously confused in other classes in which I learned that depressed and traumatized patients have smaller hippocampi. 
- With the context of recollection of memories occurring in the hippocampus, this makes more sense to me now. 

Depression, Trauma, and Hippocampus

Types of Explicit Memory

Some long-term memories, while stored, are not strong enough to be recalled without assistance. In these cases, prompts or cues can facilitate retrieval. For example, a person might struggle to remember the name of a restaurant they visited in the past, but a prompt, such as being told the restaurant was named after its owner, could trigger the recall of the name.

Prompts in Memory Recall

A student is asked to provide examples of different types of memory. Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a memory that is consciously recalled and can be verbally reported?

Henry Molaison (H.M.) is one of psychology's most famous case studies. In 1953, surgeons removed large sections of his hippocampus to treat severe epilepsy. While the surgery successfully stopped his seizures without affecting his IQ or personality, it left him with anterograde amnesia. His short-term memory remained intact, but he permanently lost the ability to transfer new information into long-term memory—a process known as consolidation. This case was crucial for memory research because it demonstrated a clear dissociation between short-term and long-term memory and highlighted the temporal lobes' essential role in memory consolidation.

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