Long Term Memory

Question 1

Types of LTM:

Answer 1

-research into LTM has shown that it is not a single unitary store, but rather it appears to have a number of different components which may be represented by separate brain systems
-a major distinctions between two types of LTM:
1. The conscious memory we have for facts and events (declarative)
2. Memory that is not open to conscious recollection, but rather what we see in our skilled behaviour and habits (procedural)

Question 2

Declarative memory:

Answer 2

-as pointed out by Henry (1990), when people use the term “remembering” they are generally referring to some kind of process where they consciously recollect things from their past learning
-this type of memory is called declarative memory, it can sometimes be referred to as “explicit memory” as it refers to memories that are consciously recalled
-declarative memory is knowing that something is the case, e.g. knowing what time a shop closes or that full stops ends a sentence

Question 3

Procedural Memory:

Answer 3

-sometimes we demonstrate knowledge by doing something, this is procedural memory
-describing to someone how to cycle, swim, walk, or read- this is difficult because it is unconscious
-as Roediger highlights, it is as though some prior learning actually resists conscious recollection because it requires no conscious awareness
-it is sometimes referred to as “implicit memory”

Question 4

Procedural and Declarative Memory: HM Milner

Answer 4

1962
-Milner discovered that HM was able to learn to trace a shape using a mirror image, and retain this skills over a number of days
-however, he head no conscious recollection of ever having done mirror drawing tasks before, thus acquiring the skill
-it appears that while HM was able to use procedural memory to learn this skill, his operation had damaged his ability to use his declarative memory to consciously recollect this experience

Question 5

Semantic Memory and Episodic Memory:

Answer 5

-semantic memory consists of our abstract and general knowledge about the world, e.g. facts we learn in school
-in addition to the facts and concepts that make up semantic memory, we also store memories for the things we have though and experiences we have had
-these personal recollections of episodes of our lives make up episodic memory

Question 6

Scientific evidence of the distinction between procedural and declarative memory:

Answer 6

-while it is possible to define what is meant by semantic and episodic memory, it’s not always easy to distinguish between them
-for instance, if you can remember your very first swimming lesson, does this make it an episodic memory or does the knowledge of what swimming means make it semantic memory?
-this is due to the relationship between the two, semantic memory generally originate episodic memories, e.g. if a child learns in school that cloud produce rain, this new knowledge is specifically linked to an event
-however, as time passes, the association between what we have learned and the event during which it was learned diminishes, and then it becomes something you “just know”
-this knowledge becomes part of semantic memory, and it seems that over time memory can lose its links to a particular event and the episodic memory becomes a semantic one