Evidence is provided to show that autobiographical memory emerges around the age of four in Western countries, bringing to an end what has long been referred to as the period of infantile amnesia. Empirical evidence suggests that episodic memory exists before the age of four. Research has shown that children as young as three years old can recall specific events from their past and understand that they have memories too. By four years old, children accurately describe their memory experiences, such as "I did not remember seeing the elephant", and differentiate between remembered and forgotten information. In addition to describing their memory experiences, by about eight years old, children are able to explain how knowledge is stored in their mind/brain-for example, "I know I saw the elephant because it is in my memory vault". They also understand that certain events are likely to be remembered while others are not, for example, if it was a very important event then it is more likely to be remembered. Around age ten, children start to distinguish between their own thoughts and feelings and those of other people, suggesting that self-awareness begins to emerge. By late adolescence, most individuals are able to recall autobiographical memories from their early life stages. However, research has shown that the quality of these memories decreases with age, possibly due to the fact that older adults tend to focus on the negative aspects of their lives instead of their successes.