Long Term Memory

Question 1

What are the three types of Long Term Memory?

Answer 1

Episodic, Semantic or Procedural

Question 2

What is episodic memory?

Answer 2

Memory of time stamped events. A single episode will contain several elements. You have to make conscious effort to recall these memories.

Question 3

What is semantic memory?

Answer 3

Fact based knowledge (names, places, tastes etc). It is less personal and more about information we share. It contains a large collection of material which is constantly being added to. It is less vulnerable to forgetting than episodic memory. It requires conscious effort to recall.

Question 4

What is declarative memory?

Answer 4

Memory needing conscious recall.

Question 5

Evaluate the long-term memory (neuroimaging)

Answer 5

Strength
P - Further evidence from neuroimaging.
E - Tulving (1994) asked participants to perform tasks while using a PET scanner. They found semantic and episodic memories to be from the prefrontal cortex. Right was episodic and left was semantic.
T - Supports Tulving’s theory. They are physically different, in different parts of the brain. The findings are supported by further research, increasing the validity.

Question 6

Evaluate the types of long term memory (Clive Wearing)

Answer 6

Strength
P - Research support
E - Clive Wearing had procedural memory (Playing piano) but no episodic memory (recollection of events)
T - Supports Tulving’s theory of the types of long term memory (different parts of the brain)
Counterargument - Lack control of variables. Researcher couldn’t control what happened to the participant before or after. They have no knowledge of their memory before the damage. Limits what clinical studies.

Question 7

Evaluate the types of LTM
Real world application

Answer 7

Strengths
P - Has real world application
E - Allows psychologists to help people with memory issues. Belleville et al (2006) devised an intervention to improve episodic memories in older people. Trained participants performed better on tests than the control group.
T - Shows the types of LTM enables specific treatments to be developed.

Question 8

Describe the case of Clive Wearing

Answer 8

Clive had a severe form of amnesia that resulted from a viral infection that attacked his brain, damaging the hippocampus and associated areas. Before this infection he was a world class musician. He can remember some other aspects of his life, eg he knows he had children from an earlier marriage but cannot remember their names. He recognises his second wife and greets her joyously every time they meet, believing he has not seen her in years, even if she has left the room for a few minutes. Lost his episodic and semantic memories but still had procedural memories.