Elsevier

Neuropsychologia

Volume 47, Issue 11, September 2009, Pages 2305-2313
Neuropsychologia

Episodic memories

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.003Get rights and content

Abstract

An account of episodic memories is developed that focuses on the types of knowledge they represent, their properties, and the functions they might serve. It is proposed that episodic memories consist of episodic elements, summary records of experience often in the form of visual images, associated to a conceptual frame that provides a conceptual context. Episodic memories are embedded in a more complex conceptual system in which they can become the basis of autobiographical memories. However, the function of episodic memories is to keep a record of progress with short-term goals and access to most episodic memories is lost soon after their formation. Finally, it is suggested that developmentally episodic memories form the basis of the conceptual system and it is from sets of episodic memories that early non-verbal conceptual knowledge is abstracted.

Section snippets

Properties of episodic memories

Table 1 lists nine properties of episodic memories that collectively distinguish them from other types of memory representations. Note that, it is the combination of these features that are proposed as defining. Other types of long-term memory representations may feature one or several of the properties but only episodic memories have all nine properties. These properties are now considered in further detail, as are some of the issues they raise for the study of episodic memories.

The first

Organization of episodic memories

The idea that episodic memories are stored in memory in a way that preserves the temporal dimension was introduced above. But this temporal organization cannot be long-lasting, especially as access to so many initially formed episodic memories is lost within a few days of formation. Moreover, there is little evidence of the retention of detailed and specific temporal organization of episodic memories in long-term memory. Instead, the organization of those episodic memories access to which is

The development of episodic remembering

Episodic elements are formed outside conscious awareness and their formation is not within intentional control. One possibility is that hippocampal networks mediate the formation of episodic elements and their connection to a conceptual frame, although networks in other brains regions, fronto-temporal for example, may also influence the establishment of conceptual frames. An interesting question that then arises is: how can EEs be associated with conceptual frames in an infant's memory? One

Summary

I have presented a view of episodic memories that highlights their possible nature and functions. It is a view that proposes that episodic memories developmentally form the basis of the conceptual system in which they are embedded and which in turn they come to represent. The function of episodic memories is to provide a basis for the adaptive pursuit of short-term goals. Access to episodic memories is lost fairly quickly but if a memory or set of memories become integrated with the conceptual

Acknowledgements

The author was supported by the award of a Professorial Fellowship from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), RES-051-27-0127 of the United Kingdom and he thanks the ESRC for this support.

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