Episodic and Semantic Memory Flashcards
(10 cards)
Who proposed the Episodic and semantic memories theory?
Tulving
What are episodic memories?
Memories of personal events, such as holidays, family home, etc.
‘Mental Diary’
What is time and spacial referencing?
Time referencing - Remembered in chronological order - we remember when we learned these.
Spacial referencing - They are linked together, e.g., one memory can trigger another from the same time period.
Episodic memories
What are semantic memories?
Factual information with no personal attachment, e.g., capital cities, alphabet, etc.
‘Mental encyclopaedia’
Supporting evidence for the Episodic and Semantic?
Ostregaard - boy with oxygen deprivation lost episodic but not semantic memories. Proof of 2 stores.
KC - motorbike accident and lost his episodic but not semantic memories, proof of 2 stores.
What are context and state cues?
Context - linked to places etc, that can trigger memories.
State - memories can be triggered by the 5 senses.
Used by episodic.
Conflicting evidence of Episodic and Semantic
Squire and Zola conducted a brain scan and found that episodic and semantic memories were both in the Medial Temporal Lobe, not 2 separate stores of memory.
HM - lost episodic and semantic but maintained procedural memories suggesting this theory is too simplistic.
Other theories to the Episodic and Semantic?
Develops on the MSM and considers LTM as more than just one unitary store - more holistic.
Doesn’t go into depth about ST, for which WMM may be more useful.
Usefulness of Episodic and Semantic?
Dementia - patients lose their episodic memories from most to least recent, evidence of time referencing.
Can use cues to trigger memories such as pictures of family members.
Testability of Episodic and Sematic
Recalling LTM lack validity as there is no proof that the memory recalled is accurate to the real event.
