Types of long term memory

Question 1

who proposed that there are three LTM stores

Answer 1

Tulving

Question 2

what are the three LTM stores

Answer 2

episodic, semantic, procedural

Question 3

episodic memory

Answer 3

Refers to our ability to recall events from our lives

These memories are time stamped so you remember when they happened as well as what happened

Your memory of a single episode includes people, places, objects and behaviour all interwoven to produce a single memory

Have to make a conscious effort to recall episodic memories

Question 4

semantic memory

Answer 4

Contains our shared knowledge of the world

These memories aren’t time stamped

Semantic knowledge is less personal and more about the facts we all share

According to Tulving, it’s less vulnerable to distortion and forgetting than episodic memory

Must make conscious effort to recall semantic memories

Question 5

procedural memory

Answer 5

Our memory for actions and skills

We can recall these memories without conscious awareness or much effort

Difficult to explain verbally

More resistant to forgetting

Question 6

evaluation of types of LTM (brief)

Answer 6

strength - supporting evidence from HM, however lacks control variable
strength - real world application
weakness - conflicting evidence of brain location of LTM

Question 7

strengths of types of LTM

Answer 7

evidence from case study of HM. HM’s episodic memory was impaired but his semantic memory was relatively unaffected. His procedural memories were also intact. This evidence supports Tulving’s view that there are different memory stores in LTM – one store can be damaged but other stores are unaffected. HOWEVER, clinical studies lack control variables. For example, the researcher had no knowledge of the individual’s memory before the damage. Therefore it’s difficult to judge how much worse it is afterwards. The lack of control limits how much clinical studies tell us about different types of LTM

there is real world application as understanding LTM allows psychologists to help people with memory loss. Belleville et al devised an intervention to improve episodic memory in older people. The trained participants performed better on a test of episodic memory after training than a control group. This shows that distinguishing between types of LTM enables specific treatments to be developed and this also increases the validity of Tulving’s research.

Question 8

weakness of types of LTM

Answer 8

conflicting evidence of brain location of LTM. Buckner and Peterson reviewed research findings and concluded semantic memories are located in left prefrontal cortex and episodic in right prefrontal cortex. However, Tulving et al found semantic memories are associated with the right prefrontal cortex and episodic with left prefrontal cortex. This challenges any neuropsychological evidence to support types of memory as there is poor agreement on where each type may be located.