Episodic and/or Semantic

When I was two years old I was injured when a board with a nail fell on top of me. It cut me open and I needed thirteen stitches. It was so close to my heart that they had to check to make sure it was not punctured. The fact that I remember this is because of my episodic memory or my semantic memory. However, my father’s episodic memory has a slightly different story for this event. How does this happen? Why are there two versions of the same event? It is mostly likely because the episodic memory can become semantic memory after time and influence.
Let us begin with the difference between episodic memory and semantic memory. Episodic memory is that memory you have of an event that occurred in your life, an event that you can “time travel” back to. For me, this traumatic event allows me to bring myself back to that memory, or my version at least. Semantic memory, however, is memory of information and facts of an event that you cannot travel back to (Goldstein, 2011). So why might my memory of my experience be semantic now? Because of all of the things that I cannot remember about it and all of the things I cannot prove were factual about my version of events.
The short version of my story is that I remember the board falling on me. I remember there being blood everywhere and screaming for my dad whom I thought was inside at the time. I remember it taking a long time before he came to me and my flesh hanging from my body which my dad held in place with a towel. What I do not remember is it hurting at all. I do not remember being upset or any emotion connected with the event. I do not remember the hospital or anything afterwards. There are several “facts” here that are different than what my father remembers though some are the same. He remembers being outside with me and coming to help me right away. He remembers there being very little blood. This is why the memory or more semantic than episodic now. I cannot confirm the actual version of events. I do not know the specific day or month or year. I can “time travel” there but I can “see” what I remember, not “be” it.
People perceive and remember events differently. What I thought was a lot of blood could have been, in my eyes, as a tiny two year old but may not have been to my much larger father. This part of the situation could be true then. Or my brother (who was five at the time and was also present) could have told me his version of events and since he was extremely upset by what happened his version could be exaggerated. People change stories sometimes to suit themselves (Hanagarne, 2009). My dad could have been inside and convinced himself otherwise out of guilt (I specifically remember him washing dishes). That would make “my version” actually a story compiled of the “facts” from other people. Also, like a game of telephone, the story likely changes over time (Hanagarne, 2009).
In conclusion, unless you can travel back to your experience with specific detail then you are recalling from semantic memory. For my memory to be episodic I would have to remember exactly when it happened, how I felt about it, and the details of it. My semantic memory lets me know that it happened even though I only have a vague memory of when and no recollection of how I felt. The events prior to the trauma, however, I can travel to. My brother wanted to save a kitten from behind the board. I remember feeling afraid for the kitten and sharing that feeling with my brother. I also remember standing in front of the board not knowing of potential trouble. Episodic memory and semantic memory can sometimes be connected that way.

Resources:

Goldstein, B. (2011). Long-Term Memory: Structure. In Cognitive Psychology (Third ed., pp. 159-161). Belmont: Wadswortg, Cengage Learning.

Hanagarne, J. (2009, April 22). Do We Remember The Event Or The Story? Retrieved October 19, 2014, from http://worldsstrongestlibrarian.com/1030/do-we-remember-the-event-or-the-story/

4 thoughts on “Episodic and/or Semantic

  1. Cassie Renee Miller

    It is amazing when we think about our memories and how they change from episodic to semantic over time. I would say your memory remains episodic because of the your traumatic experience. When we think about our experiences and how they move from short-term memory into long-term memory, it’s no wonder with these intricate processes things change over time. I would say it’s quite possible your recollection is different than that of your father’s due to the constructive nature of memory; our memories are based on not only what actually occurred, but are also based on our knowledge and experiences (Goldstein, 213).
    What’s interesting about your post is how much I relate to your story. Although my experience is a little different. I have an episodic memory for rolling a hot curling iron up my arm and burning myself, I was four years old. When I think back on this experience, I remember walking into the bathroom, reaching for the curling iron, and it falling onto my arm; unfortunately instead of it just falling to the floor, it landed on my arm and I in-turn curled my arm up successfully burning myself. This memory has started to fade though, I don’t remember it as vividly as I used to remember it.
    Each person has a different point of view in every situation and remembers things differently. I vaguely remember thinking I was screaming when I burned myself with the curling iron, but my mother has told me I didn’t scream in panic at all, just cried. I feel like I must have screamed when it happened because my knowledge and experience with curling irons leads me to think any child would have screamed. I think I will always have some type of episodic memory for my experience because I have a scar on my arm from it that reminds me when I looked at it. Your episodic memory will probably linger for a long time because of how traumatic of an event you experienced. With that being said, here’s to childhood memories, the good and the bad.

    References:

    Goldstein, Bruce E. Cognitive Psychology 3rd edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning. 2011. Print.

  2. Erika Rashelle Arredondo

    Your entry brought Piaget’s different theories of memory to mind. Another reason why you and your parents remember your accident differently could have to do with fact that toddlers have a harder time remembering events when compared to the memories of older children and adults. There are some theories for this – 1) The brain development in toddlers could be lacking in certain areas necessary for mature memory skills 2) toddlers lack expansive knowledge and experience to draw upon when processing information (top down processing) and 3) Children lack selective attention. [1]
    In the case of your accident, your lack of selective attention would make even more sense given that you were traumatized due to being both injured and scared.
    While we may not know for a fact exactly what caused your recall of what happened to be a bit different from that of your father’s, we do know that an adult is going to have more to work with memory wise when recalling something that happened when compared to someone who is only 2 years, especially when the 2 year old is both scared and hurt.

    Works Cited :
    “Cognitive Development: Age 2–6.” Cognitive Development: Age 2–6. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.

  3. Kristina Cafney Paradise

    This story is so similar to many other stories I have heard. The fact that there are so many different versions of the same story and perhaps none of them being true. Like you stated this is because episodic memories can be changed into semantic memories after time. What is the truth? What is false? Some may never know. One can look back into their past and relive those memories, but they are just that, memories. You are not actually reliving what was actuality at all, or are you?
    Take for example, PTSD, this disorder causes flashbacks. During these flashbacks the person retrieves from their memory an event that took place in the past during a traumatic time (Grohol, 1995). The person may have no memory of this event actually happening until the flashback occurs. Unlike a memory that we recall, like the board falling on you, flashbacks are different. Where do these come from? Where are they stored? Why can we not retrieve them like we can regular memories? Why do they happen after a trigger or just out of the blue? They have to be stored somewhere in our memory. These questions are yet to be answered. It is not understood yet, where the suppressed memories are and why we can not just get them from our memory when we want. For example, a rape victim or a domestic violence survivor, may suffer from PTSD. They may be walking down the street and out of no where a memory floods their mind, you see, hear, smell and feel the trauma all over again.
    Again, unlike your memory or ones that others have about something that seemed traumatic at the time or still does ( I am not saying this event was not traumatic to you), we have that memory. I remember being about 2 or 3 and my finger got smashed by the metal from a couch bed. I swear to this day when my brother lifted the metal, my finger nail was still on the metal and my finger was covered in blood. I remember going to the hospital and they soaked my finger in iodine and wrapped it all up. My dad said my finger nail was still on my finger, it was black, there was no blood and I went to the dr, not the hospital.
    Very interesting how you said that episodic memories become semantic, so perhaps are suppressed memories are also in our semantic memory.

    References:
    Grohol, John M.. Psych central Dr. Grohol’s mental health page.. S.l.: John M. Grohol, 1995. Print.

  4. amt5681

    First, I would like to say I am sorry you had to endure a traumatic event like you did at such a young age! Secondly, I found it very interesting how you asked “Why are there two versions of the same event?” because this happens so many times throughout one’s life. I’ve have several instances where I could swear on my life that I remembered something so clearly, vividly, and was pure “facts” and then sometimes be proven wrong with solid evidence such as a picture or video. Even after I get proven wrong sometimes I think, “I can’t be wrong could I? But I remember EXACTLY what happened!” As you said, episodic memories can change over time into semantic memories and reconsolidation can manipulate these memories into something else as well. So many people all around have their versions of what is true or factual to them (in regards to memories) even though many may be wrong or have a memory of something that never even happened at all. Amazing how we can’t even trust our own memories sometimes! That’s a bit scary too…

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