Final answer:
The scenario involves the contestant's episodic memory, which is a component of explicit memory, involving the conscious recollection of personal events. Implicit memory, on the other hand, influences behaviors without conscious awareness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The observation described in the scenario relates to the contestant's episodic memory, which is a type of explicit memory. Episodic memory is the part of long-term memory that involves the recollection of personal experiences, such as the reaction upon possibly knowing the answer to a game show puzzle. This type of memory is characterized by the personal involvement and the specific time and place of an event, often reported as a story. In contrast, implicit memory refers to memories that affect behaviors without conscious awareness, which includes things like procedural memory for skills, priming, and conditioning.
An exceptionally clear recollection of an important event, such as the expression on the contestant's face when solving a puzzle, would be considered a flashbulb memory if it is particularly vivid and detailed. The physical trace of such a memory is known as an engram. Flashbulb memories usually involve a high level of emotional arousal and are a specific type of episodic memory. Both episodic and semantic memories are components of explicit or declarative memory, which require conscious recollection.