Memory - Types of long term memory

Question 1

What are the 3 types of long-term memory?

Answer 1

Semantic
Episodic
Procedural

Question 2

What is episodic memory?

Answer 2

Episodic memory describes those memories that have some kind of personal meaning to us , alongside details as to when and how these events occurred, as well as the associated people and places. e.g wedding day

Question 3

What is semantic memory?

Answer 3

Semantic memories describe our memories of the world and the associated knowledge e.g an understanding of what words, themes of concepts mean. Example: the ability to use information related to one concept to help us understand another.

Question 4

What is procedural memory?

Answer 4

Procedural memories describe our memories of ‘learned skills’, such as swimming or driving

Question 5

What memories must be recalled consciously?

Answer 5

Episodic and Semantic

Question 6

What memories are recalled unconsciously?

Answer 6

Procedural

Question 7

What are the strengths of the theory that there are different types of LTM?

Answer 7

Petersen et al. demonstrated that semantic memories were recalled from the left prefrontal cortex, whilst episodic memories were recalled from the right prefrontal cortex. This supports the idea that there are different types of LTM and that they each have different neurological basis because they are recalled from different types of the brain.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Belleville et al notes that mild cognitive impairments most commonly affect episodic memories and so an increased understanding of episodic memory, alongside the differences between different types of LTM, may lead to improved increasingly targeted treatments for mild cognitive impairments.

CASES OF HM AND CLIVE WEARING show how one type of LTM may be impaired (episodic in their cases) but other types of LTM will be unaffected. (semantic and procedural) Wearing could still play the piano and understand the concept of music.