Types of LTM

Question 1

List the 3 types of LTM.

Answer 1

1. Episodic
2. Semantic
3. Procedural

Question 2

Outline 3 key points about episodic memory.

Answer 2

• It refers to our ability to recall events from our lives.
• These memories are time-stamped; meaning that you remember when they happened.
• You may remember the context around the event e.g what happened before, why you were there, the emotions you felt.

Question 3

List the 3 elements to episodic memory.

Answer 3

1. Specific details of the event.
2. Context.
3. Emotions.

Question 4

Outline 3 key points about semantic memory.

Answer 4

• This is out knowledge about the world; constantly adding to it.
• These memories are NOT time-stamped, less personal and generally shared with other people.
• The memories may start as episodic as we learn about them based on personal experience BUT as we gradually lose association with particular events, they become semantic.

Question 5

Outline 3 key points about procedural memory.

Answer 5

• This is our memory for actions, skills and how we do things.
• We can often recall these with very little effort; many of these actions have became automatic.
• It can be tricky to explain these skills to others, as a result of the automatic knowledge of how to do them.

Question 6

Which type of memory would a visit to the park when you were little come under?

Answer 6

Episodic

Question 6

Which type of memory would knowing how to brush your teeth come under?

Answer 6

Procedural

Question 7

Which type of memory would knowledge of Barack Obama being a former US president come under?

Answer 7

Semantic

Question 11

Which type of memory would your first day at secondary school come under?

Answer 11

Episodic

Question 11

WHich ype of memory would Daniel Radcliffe playing Harry Potter come under?

Answer 11

Semantic

Question 12

Which type of memory would how to tie a shoelace come under?

Answer 12

Procedural

Question 13

Which type of memory would how to drive come under?

Answer 13

Procedural

Question 14

Which type of memory would your 10th birthday party come under?

Answer 14

Episodic

Question 15

List the 5 evaluation points for types of LTM.

Answer 15

1. Clinical case study evidence.
2. Evidence from neuroimaging.
3. Real Life Application.
4. Distinguishing Episodic and Semantic Memories.
5. Declarative Memory.

Question 16

Name the 3 strengths of types of LTM research.

Answer 16

1. Clinical case study evidence.
2. Neuroimgaing evidence.
3. Real Life Application.

Question 17

Summarise the evaluation point ‘clinical case study evidence’.

Answer 17

• Henry Molaison + Clive Wearing both had trouble recalling their episodic memories but their semantic + procedural memories were unaffected.
• Supports the idea that there are different types of LTM; shows that whilst one memory store can be damged completely, the other memory stores can be unaffected.
• This is evidence that the types of memory are different + that they are stored in different parts of the brain.

Question 18

Summarise what is meant by the evaluation point ‘neuroimaging evidence’.

Answer 18

• Evidence from brain scan studies suggest different types of memory are stored in differrnt parts of the brain.
• PET scans were taken of participants’ brains whilst performing different memory tasks.
• Found that both episodic + semantic memories were recalled from an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex which is divided into 2 parts: one for each hemisphere of the brain.
• 1. Episodic memories were recalled from the right prefrontal cortex.
• 2. Semantic memories were recalled from the left prefrontal cortex.

Question 19

Summarise what is meant by the evaluation point ‘real life application’.

Answer 19

• If psychologists can identify different types of LTM, it enables them to target certain kinds of memory to help people’s lives in a positive way.
• Evidence shows that episodic memories could be improved in older people who had a mild cognitive impairement through training.
• The trained participants performed better on a test of episodic memory after training than a control group.
• By understanding that there are different types of LTM, psychologists can also develop treatments to help improve the different types of LTM.

Question 20

Summarise what is meant by the limitation evaluation point ‘distinguishing episodic and semantic memories’.

Answer 20

• The relationship between episodic and semantic memories raises the question of whether episodic memories are a gateway to forming semantic memories of whether it’s sometimes possible to form semantic memories independently.
• Rsearchers studied patients with Alzheimer’s + have found that some individuals retain the ability to form new semantic memories but not episodic memories.
• HOWEVER, others have found the reverse in alzheimer’s patiens; poor semantic memories but intact episodic memories.
• Episodic memories may be a gateway to semantic memories but it’s not possible for semantic memories to form separately.

Question 21

Summarise what is meant by the limitation evaluation point ‘declarative memory’.

Answer 21

• Cohen + Squire disagree with the idea of 3 types of LTM.
• They agree that procedural memories are one type of LTM BUT that episodic + semantic memories are stored together in one LTM that they call declarative memory i.e memories that can be consciously recalled.
• In contrast, procedural memories are non-declarative.