Final answer:
The difference between episodic and semantic memory is that episodic memory deals with personal experiences including contextual details, while semantic memory deals with general world knowledge and facts without personal context. Episodic memory involves a narrative recollection, while semantic memory is expressed as factual information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between episodic and semantic memory lies in the types of information they pertain to and the way this information is processed and stored by the brain. Episodic memory refers to the long-term memory of specific events or 'episodes' that one has personally experienced. This type of memory includes contextual details like the time and place of the event, and often involves recollection of visual imagery and emotional context, such as remembering your last birthday celebration.
Semantic memory, on the other hand, encompasses knowledge about words, concepts, and facts that is not tied to personal experiences. It deals with language-based information, like the definition of psychology or the identity of historical figures, stored as facts within our memory system. Whereas episodic memory is recounted as a narrative, semantic memory is typically expressed in factual statements.
Both types of memory are components of declarative or explicit memory, which is consciously accessible and can be intentionally recalled. The brain structures involved in episodic memory include the hippocampus and related medial temporal lobe structures essential for long-term memory consolidation, while semantic memories are widely distributed across various brain regions, including the temporal and frontal lobes.