Long Term Memory Flashcards
What is LTM divided into?
Explicit memories (episodic, semantic) Implicit memories (procedural)
What is episodic memory?
Your personal memories for events/experiences. E.G. A family holiday. You may recall the time and place of said event; also, who was there, the context surrounding the event and the emotions you felt.
3 key elements: specific details of the event, the context and the emotions.
What is semantic memory?
Memory for knowledge and facts, shared by everyone. They can be concrete things (such as function of an object), knowing how to behave, or abstract things (such as maths/language). Begins as an episodic memory by acquiring knowledge through personal experience. Transitions from episodic to semantic.
what is procedural memory?
memory for how to do things (such as reading, riding a bike). these are acquired through practise and repetition; they become automatic. therefore, we can focus our attention other tasks whilst performing these every day skills.
what is a strength of types of LTM? (brain scans)
there is support for the different types of LTM from research using brain scanning techniques. Such research shows that different areas of the brain are active when different parts of LTM are active. Episodic memories are associated with the temporal lobe, in particular the hippocampus. Semantic memories also rely on the temporal lobe. Procedural memory is associated with the cerebellum.
VALID EVIDENCE
what is a strength of LTM (HM)
after the destruction of his hippocampus, HM could not form new LTM. He was able to form procedural memories but not semantic or episodic memories. For example, he learnt a skill called mirror drawing (procedural) but he had no memory of learning this (semantic/episodic).
what is a limitation of LTM (HM)
evidence comes from brain damaged patients which is hard to say whether it is completely reliable/valid. It is hard to tell which areas of the brain are affected until the patient is dead. Damage to an area of the brain does not necessarily mean it is causing a specific behaviour; it could be a relay station. malfunction of the relay station could impair performance
