Imagine yourself at an elderly age sitting in a rocking
chair as a grandpa/grandma. Your grandchildren come up to you and ask you where
did you meet grandpa/grandma? You sit back and start thinking. You recall that
very moment of the time/place you were at in details. This is example of
Episodic Memory.
Episodic Memory is a single of personal events. This type
of memory involves a remembrance of specific events, experiences and
situations. Episodic Memory is also known as autobiographical events. This
associates with times, places, who, what, when, where, why, emotions. In all, it’s
a collection of past personal experiences that occurs at a particular place and
time.
Some more examples of episodic memory are events that
happen for the first time such as going to a place for the first time, having a
first kiss, first lover. Researchers say that this type of memory plays a role
in your self-identity.
In the book, it mentions about H.M. how he had severe
impairment of episodic memories. When he had surgery, he could not recall any
experience that he had after his surgery.
Although he could describe facts that he learned before his operation,
he could relate few personal experiences. This is very strange to me because how the past experiences he remember that made an impression on him.
In this video it describes episodic memory in children
and how we as adults don’t really remember previous to the age of two.
In this video it shows the experiment in how the range of
age children of 2-6 remembers where each toy was located in two different
rooms. For some reason, the children age of 2years old found it more difficult
to find the toy in the box. In compared to the children of 6years of age know
immediately where it was located. So the question is, why is the process of
memory not the same young child compared to a young toddler? As we get older,
does the process of memory progresses of episodic memory episodes?
Personally, I believe the episodic memory events are what makes our events special in our lives. Remembering those first time moments of our lives are once in a life time.
I am actually taking a class on infancy and adolescence right now, so it's interesting that you mentioned the differences in memory capability for older and younger children. Turns out, some younger children have yet to develop the ability to understand object permanence; meaning that they don't really grasp the concept of realizing that even though they can't physically see the object after it's moved that it's still there somewhere. It's not so much as their memory that affects finding the toy, as it is their lack of progression past that stage.
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