Memory - Types Of LTM Flashcards
What are the 3 stores of memory
Episodic, semantic and procedural memory
What is episodic memory
A long term memory store for personal events.
It is our ability to recall events from our lives. It includes memories of when the events occurred and of the people, objects , places and behaviours involved.
Why are episodic memories more complex
They are time stamped - you remember when they happened
Memory of single element will include several elements
Places, faces, objects interwoven into one memory
You have to make conscious effort to recall episodic memories
What is semantic memory
Long term memory store for our knowledge of the world.
This includes facts and our knowledge of what words and concepts mean.
Why are semantic memories also complex
They are not time stamped
We. Do not remember when we first learned about about them
Less personal - more about facts we all share
Given its nature it is constantly being added too
What is procedural memory
A long term memory for our knowledge of how to do things . This includes our memory of learned skills.
We can recall these memories without conscious awareness.
Eg driving a car
Hard to explain to someone else
What is a strength of the different LTM stores (case studies)
Clinical case studies that support it
Eg HM’s episodic memory was severely impaired-as consequence of amnesia so he could not remember stroking a dog half an hour earlier.
Semantic memories were unaffected
He did not need the concept of a dog explained to him
Supports tulvings view that there is different memory stores, one store can be damaged with others remaining unaffected because they are not the same.
Likely in different parts of the brain.
What is another strength of the different stores of the LTM (BRAIN SCANS)
A strength
Evidence from brain scan studies that different types of memory are stored in certain parts of the brain.
Eg tulving et al used PET scanner on participants preforming memory tasks.
Found that semantic memories recalled from left prefrontal cortex
Episodic memories recalled from right prefrontal cortex
Shows that different parts of brain are activated in memory
Physical reality to different types of LTM
What is a limitation of the different types of LTM
There is disagreement on the number of LTM stores.
Eg cohen and squire (1980) disagree with tulvings division of LTM into 3 types.
Accept that procedural memories represent 1 type of LTM.
Argue episodic and semantic memories stored together in 1 LTM store
They called this declarative memory because in both memories can be consciously recalled
This shows that there needs to be more clarification and clear agreement around the types of LTM.
