Memory: Types of LTM

Question 1

What are three types of LTM?

Answer 1

episodic
semantic
procedural

Question 2

Who suggested the types of LTM?

Answer 2

Tulving

Question 3

What is the episodic memory?

Answer 3

• Likened to a diary of personal experiences (eg. most recent visit to dentist)
• Complex and time stamped, involve several elements interwoven to make one memory
• Have to make conscious effort to recall

Question 4

What is semantic memory?

Answer 4

• Stores our knowledge of the world and is a combo of encyclopaedia and dictionary (eg. how orange tastes)
• Not time stamped, less personal bc we all share them

Question 5

What is procedural memory?

Answer 5

• Memory of how we do things (eg. riding a bike)
• Become automatic with practice and explaining step to step is difficult bc u do without conscious recall

Question 6

What is the strength that suggests there is case study evidence to support different types of LTM?

Answer 6

• Clinical studies of amnesia such as Clive Wearing show difficulty recalling personal things that had happened to them meaning their episodic memory was damaged
• Their semantic and procedural memories were still in tact, Clive Wearing could play piano
• Supports view

Question 7

What is the limitation that suggests that there are conflicting findings about types of LTM and brain areas?

Answer 7

• Buckner + Petersen, findings semantic memories are in left prefrontal cortex and episodic in right prefrontal cortex
• Tulving found these were reversed
• Challenges neurophysiological evidence

Question 8

What is the strength that suggests different types of LTM can help people with memory problems?

Answer 8

• As people age, they experience episodic memory loss and it is harder for them to recall recent experiences
• Belleville et al put a programme in place for old people, targeting their episodic memories and improving their memory compared to a control group
• The distinction helps to develop specific treatments

Question 9

What is the limitation that suggests there is contradicting evidence for types of LTM?

Answer 9

• Cohen + Squire suggested that there are only two types of LTM
• Declarative which is knowledge of information and non declarative which is knowledge of procedures
• Goes against Tulving’s proposal and decreases validity

Question 10

What did Buckner and Petersen suggest is a limitation for the different types of LTM?

Answer 10

Semantic memories are located in left prefrontal cortex and episodic in right prefrontal cortex, yet other studies found this reversed

Question 11

What did Belleville et al suggest was a strength of the different types of LTM?

Answer 11

Helps people to improve their memory because they started a programme to target old people’s episodic memory

Question 12

What did Cohen + Squire suggest was a limitation of the different types of LTM?

Answer 12

There are actually only two types of LTM; declarative which is knowledge of info and non declarative which is knowledge of information

Question 13

What are the titles of the evaluation points of the types of LTM?

Answer 13

• Evidence of different types of LTM
• Conflicting findings about types of LTM and brain areas
• Helps people with memory problems
• Contradicting evidence

Question 14

Who are the key thinkers in types of LTM?

Answer 14

Tulving
Buckner + Petersen
Belleville et al
Cohen + Squire