types of LTM

Question 1

What is episodic memory?

Answer 1

Memory for personal experiences or events, which are time-stamped and involve multiple elements requiring conscious recall.

Example: a visit to the dentist.

Question 2

What is semantic memory?

Answer 2

General knowledge of the world, including facts, meanings, and concepts; not time-stamped.

Example: what a university is.

Question 3

What is procedural memory?

Answer 3

Memory for skills and actions, which become automatic and do not require conscious recall; difficult to verbalize.

Example: driving a car.

Question 4

How do clinical case studies support different types of LTM?

Answer 4

Patients like HM and Clive Wearing had impaired episodic memory but intact semantic and procedural memories, supporting separate stores.

Question 5

What do brain imaging studies suggest about LTM?

Answer 5

Different types of LTM activate different brain regions, supporting the idea of separate stores.

Example: episodic activates the right prefrontal cortex; semantic activates the left prefrontal cortex.

Question 6

What is a challenge to the separation of LTM types?

Answer 6

Some research shows semantic and episodic memories may overlap, suggesting they’re not fully distinct.

Example: Buckner & Petersen, 1996.

Question 7

How is understanding LTM types useful in real life?

Answer 7

Research shows that episodic memory training can help older adults with memory issues, demonstrating practical applications in treatment.

Example: Belleville et al., 2006.