Memory Lessons 7-9

Question 1

Types of LTM

Answer 1

Episodic Memory
Semantic Memory
Procedural Memory

Question 2

Episodic Memory

Answer 2

Autobiographical events in your life like your first day of school.
Episodic memories include contextual information like how you felt and where and when it occurred

Question 3

Where is episodic memory stored?

Answer 3

In the Hippocampus

Question 4

Semantic Memory

Answer 4

Memory for general knowledge and language. In charge of remembering the functions of objects and what behaviours are appropriate in certain situations.
Semantic memories originally start out as episodic memories, but they the contextual information is forgotten and it then transitions to Semantic Memory

Question 5

Semantic memories are stored in the

Answer 5

temporal lobe

Question 6

Procedural Memory

Answer 6

Muscle memory - motor skills and actions like doing your shoelaces or walking.
These are automated and not up for conscious inspection. Therefore less likely to be forgotten
This is important for it to be automated so that we can focus on other tasks

Question 7

Evaluation of Types of LTM

Answer 7

• One negative is that research on different types of LTM have been conducted on the same individuals. Inappropriate to assume that everyone’s LTM behaves in the same way and therefore findings cannot be generalised to the others
• One positive is that studies into Clive Wearing have shown support for the types of memory in LTM. Clive Wearing suffered damage to hippocampus, meaning no episodic memories could have been made and therefore no semantic memories, but his procedural memory in the Cerebellum was completely intact

Question 8

Where does the procedural memory store info

Answer 8

Cerebellum

Question 9

Forgetting

Answer 9

Loss of an individuals ability to recall previously learnt information

Question 10

Interference theory

Answer 10

Memories are forgotten when two memories are mixed up for one another.
Interference is MORE likely when the memories are similar to each other.
Interference is LESS likely to occur when there is a gap between learning of info

Question 11

Retroactive interference

Answer 11

New memories disrupts old memories

Question 12

Proactive interference

Answer 12

Old memories disrupt new memories

Question 13

Evaluation of Interference Theory

Answer 13

• One positive is that it has practical applications, students shouldn’t revise similar subjects/concepts at the same time (+)
• When interference occurs, the loss of memory may not always be permanent. It could be as a result of retrieval failure. Therefore, interference may not provide a sufficient explanation for forgetting (-)

Question 14

Retrieval Failure Theory

Answer 14

Says forgetting occurs due to the absence of retrieval cues. They are in the memory but unable to be accessed.

Question 15

Retrieval Cues

Answer 15

These are associated to certain material. When there are no retrieval cues, forgetting occurs.

Two types, Contextual Cues and State Cues

Contextual Cues - When you are in the same environment where you learnt the information, you are more likely to remember it. When you aren’t, forgetting can occur

State Cues - When you are in the same physical/emotional state as when the information was learnt, you are more likely to remember it. When you aren’t in the same physical/emotional state, forgetting can occur

Question 16

Evaluation of Retrieval Cues

Answer 16

• Retrieval failure theory has practical applications, students should revise in the same environment they are to take their tests to reduce the likelihood of forgetting happening (+)
• Darley et al found when people were high on weed and told to hide money in a large warehouse, people were more likely to remember where they hid it whilst being in the same physical state as they were when they hid the money. Backs up state cues