2: Episodic & Semantic Memory Flashcards
define: episodic memory
memory for specific events located at a certain point in time
define: semantic memory
memory for facts
what memory disorder is evidence for this episodic/semantic organisation of the brain?
amnesia - found that there was substantial damage to the episodic memory but more variable and lesser effects to the semantic memory
what is semantic dementia?
patients with bad conceptual knowledge but intact episodic memory
what part of the brain is involved with amnesia
hippocampus
which 2 parts of the brain are associated with semantic deficits?
anterior frontal lobe & anterior temporal lobe
which 2 parts of the brain are associated with episodic deficits?
hippocampus & amygdala
define: schema
Structured representation of knowledge about the world, events, people or actions that helps us make predictions
how are schema influenced?
social & cultural information
How did Westerner’s recall a native American folk tale?
People committed many errors and distortions when they asked to recall the stories. In their recall made the story more coherent and omitted details that didn’t match their expectations. These distortions were more consistent with their own semantic knowledge
—Shows memory/culture being influenced by culture—
How does context influence memory & which study exemplifies this?
Laundry study - when people were asked to remember and instructional list of how to wash clothes with the title “washing clothes” they recalled 5.8 items vs just 2.8 when there was no title to give context.
how do schemas effect memory?
Schematic knowledge affects memory especially at longer intervals.
- study that had participant recall information ion a text about Hitler or ‘dictator X’, those who read about Hitler incorrectly recalled that the passage said the dictator hated the Jews
How can context influence recall?
Giving context can change people’s memory
-when shown abstract shapes & then given different reference objects to help people remember them, people will draw the abstract images closer to the reference object
How can elaborative context influence memory?
participants are better at recalling complicated shapes when an elaborate story was given to help them learn
What are the fundamentals of the Paivio’s Duel-coding hypothesis?
Information is more memorable if it can be expressed in more than one way (eg you can visualise and verbally understand the word church but you cannot visualise silence, making it less memorable)
