Explanation of long-term memory – (Tulving, 1972)

Question 1

Define the term “semantic memory” (2 points).

Answer 1

Shared memory for facts and knowledge - a mental encyclopedia

Retrieval possible without learning - can be based on inferences, generalisation and rationality

Question 2

Define the term “episodic memory” (2 points).

Answer 2

Personal memories of events including contextual details and emotions - a mental diary

Susceptible to confabulations from schemas (leading questions and post-event discussions)

Question 3

What are the 3 features of semantic and episodic memory?

Answer 3

Time and spatial referencing:
Semantic - Independent
Episodic - Dependent

Input:
Semantic - fragmented eg. two facts independently learnt and later pieced together
Episodic - continuous

Retrieval:
Semantic - not dependent on context to aid recall
Episodic - uses cues and context encoded at the point of learning

Question 4

What are the 3 supporting and 2 refuting arguments for Tulving’s explanation of LTM?

Answer 4

Supporting:
KC case study
Schmolck’s study
Cognitive Interview

Refuting:
Declarative memory systems being interrelated
HM case study

Question 5

Describe how the KC case study supports Tulving’s explanation of LTM. (3 points)

Answer 5

KC suffered brain damage in a motor accident - lost all episodic memories due to hippocampus being destroyed

His semantic memory was still intact - eg. knows how to change a flat tyre but can’t recall if he has ever changed one

Validates Tulving’s explanation - provides evidence for the difference between episodic and semantic memory

Question 6

Describe how application to the cognitive interview supports Tulving’s explanation of LTM. (3 points)

Answer 6

Tulving stated that the police should try access cues to gain more accurate EWTs - episodic memories rely on cues attached at time of encoding

Has led to the cognitive interview techniques of contextual reinstatement and reporting everything

Suggests that Tulving’s theory is pragmatic and therefore valid

Question 7

Describe how the declarative memory systems being interrelated challenges Tulving’s explanation of LTM. (4 points)

Answer 7

Tulving came to view episodic memory as a specialised sub-category of semantic memory

Amnesiacs showed it was possible to have semantic memory and not episodic, whereas there is no evidence of vice versa

Could be claimed that participants who make an ‘informed guess’ during episodic memory recall experiments are using semantic memory

Shows that the relationship between LTM types is more complex than originally believed

Question 8

Describe how the HM case study challenges Tulving’s explanation of LTM. (3 points)

Answer 8

His ability to form new episodic or semantic memories was affected by his hippocampus being destroyed

He could still form new procedural memories after surgery - learned how to do things but had no memory that he had learned it

Tulving revised his original theory to incorporate non-declarative procedural memories