Long Term Memory Flashcards
What is episodic memory?
Stores events from our lives.
They are time stamped.
You have to make a conscious effort to recall them.
What is semantic memory?
Stores our knowledge of the world.
They are not time stamped.
What is procedural memory?
Stores memories for actions and skills.
Recall occurs without awareness or effort.
Skills be come automatic with practice.
Explaining a step by step procedure is hard because we do it unconsciously.
Strengths of LTM stores
Case study evidence: HM and Clive Wearing have amnesia and have damaged episodic memory (memories of their own past) but have intact semantic memory (HM knew what a dog was) and procedural memories were still intact (Clive Wearing could still play the piano).
Helps people with memory problems: Belleville et al devised an intervention for older people targeting episodic memory which improved their memory compared to a control group. This shows that distinguishing between LTM stores allows for specific treatments to take place.
Limitations of LTM stores
Conflicting findings: poor agreement as to where each memory store is located for example Buckner and Petersen concluded that semantic memory is located in the left prefrontal cortex and episodic memory in the right prefrontal cortex. Tulving et al, however, found that semantic memory is in the right prefrontal cortex. And the reverse for episodic memory.
Evidence of case studies lack control and are not repeatable which makes them unreliable.
