Explanation of Long term memory

Question 1

Tulving made a distinction of different types of LTM what were these?

Answer 1

Deeclarative and procedural memory

Question 2

What is declarative memory

Answer 2

Memory of meaningful events, like being taught how to drive

Question 3

What is procedural memory

Answer 3

Memory on how to do things, you can forget when you were taught but not how to do it.

Question 4

Tulving splits the declarative memory into 2 sub-types. What are they called?

Answer 4

Episodic and semantic memory

Question 5

What is episodic memory

Answer 5

Responsible for storing information about events we have experienced

Question 6

What is semantic memory

Answer 6

Storing information about the world. How things fit together

Question 7

Nature of stored memories in semantic and episodic memories.

Answer 7

Semantic - things people have perfected as a result of learning e.g concepts, facts, work academic skills. (facts)

Episodic - weddings, graduations, embarrassing moments don’t get forgotten, stored in episodic memory. (events)

Question 8

Time referencing semantic and episodic memories.

Answer 8

Semantic - not linked to a certain time, you can reference them without knowing when and where you learnt it.

Episodic - is linked to a time

Question 9

Spatial referencing in semantic and episodic memories.

Answer 9

Semantic - it is fragmented, do not need to know the whole event

Episodic - you remember the whole event in one piece

Question 10

Nature of retrieving semantic and episodic memories.

Answer 10

Semantic - context and cues not needed for recall

Episodic - recall is dependant on context or cues

Question 11

Independence of each type of memory in semantic and episodic memories.

Answer 11

Semantic - can operate independently of episodic memory

Episodic - cannot operate without semantic memory. you need previous knowledge of events, objects and people to understand them

Question 12

Strengths of theory

Answer 12

Distinction between episodic and semantic memories is supported by evidence from case fo HM

Question 13

Describe the case of HM

Answer 13

His episodic memory was impaired due to brain damage. He had difficulty recalling events from his past. Semantic memory was fine. He didnt remember stroking a dog or that he owned a dog, but understood what a dog was

Question 14

Weakness of the theory

Answer 14

Lack of control variables. Most studies involved people with brain damage. No knowledge of participants’ memories before the damage. Reduces validity.

Question 15

Strength of the application of the thoery

Answer 15

Understanding of episodic/semantic memory allows real life applications.

Question 16

What case study shows these applications?

Answer 16

Belleville et al

Question 17

What happened in Belleville et al

Answer 17

Participants undertook memory improvement training for their episodic memory. Compared to a control group they scored higher on a memory test

Question 18

What was shown in Belleville et al?

Answer 18

Since its possible to improve 1 type of LTM supports that their might be different types.

Question 19

What is a strength of the LTM theory

Answer 19

Supported by lab experiments like Baddeley. He showed that the LTM was confused by word list with similar meanings. LTM must be encoded semantically as similar sounding words had no effect

Question 20

What is a weakness for this thoeries validity?

Answer 20

It lacks ecological validity as the supporting studies are unrealistic. Learning lists of words, like in Baddeleys classic study, is not an ordinary activity.