Explanation of long term memory - Episodic and semantic memory Tulving 1972

Question 1

What does episodic memory receive and store?

Answer 1

Receives and stores information about experiences or events that occur at a specific time in our life

Question 2

Who is episodic memory specific to?

Answer 2

Specific to the individual - it is autobiographical in nature

Question 3

What is episodic memory?

Answer 3

A mental diary

It is time-referenced e.g. linked to a date when the event occurred

Question 4

What parts of the brain is episodic memory linked to?

Answer 4

Linked to the hippocampus and the prefrontal lobes

Question 5

What is the retrieval of episodic memory dependent on?

Answer 5

Dependent on the context in which the event was initially learned or experienced

It is the context that aids the retrieval of episodic memories

It may be transformed during retrieval (memory trace changes)

Question 6

What is semantic memory for?

Answer 6

Memory for meanings including words, facts and rules that aren’t linked to personal experience

Question 7

What part of the brain is semantic memory linked to?

Answer 7

It is linked to the activity in the temporal lobe

Question 8

What is semantic memory in nature?

Answer 8

It is cognitive in nature because it relates to the meaning we give things

Question 9

What is semantic memory described as being?

Answer 9

Described as being a mental encyclopaedia storing words, facts and rules

Question 10

What is semantic memory detached from?

Answer 10

Detached from any time link, as factual information could be recalled without reference to when it was learned

Question 11

What is the retrieval of semantic memories dependent on?

Answer 11

Does not seem to be dependent on the context in which it was learned

Question 12

What is procedural memory?

Answer 12

Muscle memory e.g. riding a bike

Question 13

What are the strengths/supporting evidence of Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 13

Evidence from brain scans

Irish et al (2011)

Case studies

Question 14

What are the weaknesses/refuting evidence of Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 14

Case studies may not be generalisable

Reductionist

Socially sensitive research

Question 15

Why are brain scans supporting evidence for Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 15

Different areas of the brain are seen to be active on brain scans when the different types of memory are being used.

Episodic memory is linked to increased activity in the hippocampus and the prefrontal lobes particularly in the left hemisphere

Semantic memory is associated with activity in the temporal lobe

Question 16

Why is Irish et al supporting evidence for Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 16

Irish et al found further evidence for separate episodic and semantic memory stores in Alzheimers patients who had poor semantic memories but generally intact episodic memories showing patients could remembers events but may not remember facts

Question 17

Why are cases studies a strength of Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 17

Case studies of brain-damaged patients give use an important insight into the nature of human memory, and the relative independence or links between the various memory stores and functions.

Question 18

Why is the fact the case studies may not be generalisable a weakness of Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 18

The extent of brain damage and the response of individual patients to that damage highlights important individual differences between cases.

Important to be careful when generalising the findings of unique cases to our overall understanding of memory in the whole population

Question 19

Why is reductionism a weakness of Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 19

Memory is being reduced into two main parts, namely episodic and semantic

However, memory is far more complex and also involves short term memory which is ignored by Tulving

Question 20

Why is socially sensitive research a weakness of Tulving’s ideas about episodic and semantic memory?

Answer 20

Individuals with brain damage might benefit from knowing what the damage means but needs to be dealt with sensitively

How society uses the findings of memory research must be considered carefully