Tulving’s LTM

Question 1

what is Tulving’s theory?

Answer 1

it says the MSM is too simplistic as there are different types of LTM

Question 2

what two types of LTM did Tulving propose?

Answer 2

the episodic and semantic memory (declarative LTM)

Question 3

semantic memory

Answer 3

• nature of memory: facts, memories of relationships, where things are located. like a mental encyclopaedia.
• time referencing: can’t remember where you were or when it was that you learnt these things. don’t have spatial links.
• encoding: we have rules rather than individual knowledge when registering infraction, e.g. I before E except after C.
• retrieval: doesn’t rely on context cues and are less likely to be forgotten.
• forgetting: less likely to become distorted as memory trace is strong and facts are facts which makes them less vulnerable to this.

Question 4

episodic memory

Answer 4

• nature of memory: personal events, dates, etc. like a mental diary.
• time referencing: memory is linked to the time when the event occurred, the time it happened doesn’t need to be specific but you know the sequence of events.
• encoding: linked to 5 senses, all forms of encoding act as a cue.
• retrieval: uses context cues that bring memories stores in our LTM to out conscious mind.
• forgetting: memories are more likely to become distorted. retrieval cue failure means we’re unlikely to remember an event.

Question 5

autonoetic consciousness

Answer 5

reliving past events like you’re actually there again, allows us to ‘time travel’

Question 6

strengths

Answer 6

• clive wearing supports. he has issues with his episodic memory, e.g. he never remembered seeing a doctor, however his semantic memory was sill intact, e.g. he knew who his wife was. therefore, this supports how there are separate parts to the LTM, as Tulving says.
• KF supports. episodic memory was severely impaired as he couldn’t remember personal events, however his semantic memory was mainly intact. therefore, this supports how there are distinct parts of the LTM.

Question 8

weaknesses

Answer 8

• the theory is too descriptive. it family’s to actually explain the LTM/how we make a memory, instead focusing on describing the different types. therefore, the credibility of the theory is questioned.
• difficult to test episodic and semitic memory separately in order to prove the theory since the episodic rely’s on the semantic memory. therefore, this lowers the credibility as they might not be separate at all.