Types of long term memory Flashcards
What is episodic memory?
It is long term memory of events/experiences
What is semantic memory?
It is long term memory of our knowledge of the world, likened to a combination of a dictionary and encyclopaedia.
What are characteristics of semantic memory?
It is also not time stamped and more complex than just facts
What are characteristics on episodic memory?
They are timestamped which have to be consciously recalled.
What is procedural memory?
Long term memories of skilled behaviours such as driving a car
What are characteristics of procedural memory?
Trying to explain them may make them more parents
What is research support for types of LTM?
Episodic memory in HM and Clive Wearing was severely impaired due to brain damage but their semantic memories were relatively unaffected and they still understood the meaning or words, for example HM couldn’t recall stroking a dog half an hour ago but he knew what a dog as.
What is a limitation studying people with brain injuries to understand types of LTM?
Studying people with brain injuries an help researchers understand how memory is supposed to work normally. However, a major limitation is they lack control of variables as they don’t know how they memory was before so its hard to compare how much worse it is afterwards
What is a strength of understanding types of LTM?
It allows psychologists to help people with memory problems, such as people age, they suffer memory loss but research shows this is specific to episodic memory. research support for this is Belleville devised an intervention to improve episodic memory in older people and the trained participants performed better on a test than the control group
