Memory- Types Of Long-term Memory Flashcards
Episodic memory -
A long-term memory store for personal events. It includes memories of when the events occurred and of the people, objects, places and behaviours involved. Memories from this store have to be retrieved consciously and with effort.
Semantic memory -
A long-term memory store for our knowledge of the world. This includes facts and our knowledge of what words and concepts mean. These memories usually also need to be recalled deliberately.
Procedural memory -
A long-term memory store for our knowledge of how to do things. This includes our memories of learned skills. We usually recall these memories without making a conscious or deliberate effort.
Who proposed that long-term memory consists of three distinct stores?
Endel Tulving (1985).
What are the three types of long-term memory proposed by Tulving?
Episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory.
What does episodic memory refer to?
Our ability to recall events (episodes) from our lives, like a diary of daily happenings.
Give examples of episodic memory.
Your most recent visit to the dentist, a gig you went to last week, the psychology class you had yesterday, or the breakfast you ate this morning.
What are the three key features of episodic memories?
They are time-stamped, include multiple elements (people, places, objects, behaviors), and require conscious effort to recall.
What does semantic memory store?
Our knowledge of the world, including facts, concepts, and meanings.
How is semantic memory often described?
As a combination of an encyclopedia and a dictionary.
What kind of information does semantic memory include?
Facts like applying to university, the taste of an orange, what zombies like for dinner, and the meaning of words.
What is procedural memory responsible for?
Memory for actions, skills, or how to do things, like driving a car or tying shoelaces.
Are semantic memories time-stamped?
No, we don’t usually remember when we first learned semantic information.
Do procedural memories require conscious effort to recall?
No, they are recalled without conscious awareness or much effort.
What is an example of procedural memory?
Driving a car, where you change gears or indicate without consciously thinking about it.
What clinical evidence supports Tulving’s view of separate LTM stores?
Case studies of HM (Henry Molaison) and Clive Wearing, who had impaired episodic memory but intact semantic and procedural memory.
What did HM and Clive Wearing struggle with due to their amnesia?
Recalling past events (episodic memory), but they retained semantic knowledge and procedural skills.
What did brain scan studies (e.g., Tulving et al., 1994) reveal about memory storage?
Episodic and semantic memories are recalled from different areas of the prefrontal cortex: episodic from the right and semantic from the left.
What is the significance of neuroimaging evidence for LTM?
It shows a physical reality to different types of LTM, stored in different brain regions.
How can distinguishing between types of LTM improve real-life applications?
It allows psychologists to target specific memory types for treatments, like improving episodic memory in older people with mild cognitive impairment.
What did Belleville et al. (2006) demonstrate about episodic memory?
Episodic memory could be improved through training in older people with mild cognitive impairment.
What is a limitation of clinical evidence in memory studies?
Lack of control over variables, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.
What alternative view do Cohen and Squire (1980) propose about LTM?
They argue episodic and semantic memories are stored together in one store called declarative memory, while procedural memory is non-declarative.
Why is it important to distinguish between episodic and semantic memories?
Accurate distinctions help researchers understand how memory works and develop targeted treatments for memory-related conditions.
