Tulvings Long Term Memory Flashcards
What are the different types of Long-Term memory according to Tulving?
Episodic memory- information of personal events, dates and times
Semantic memory- general information
Procedural memory- skills and processes which can be recalled without effort
How are Episodic memories processed and stored according to Tulving?
Episodic memories are processed and stored dependent on the context in which the information was initially learnt or experienced.
Episodic memories therefore are tied to time (eg- lighting, weather) and spatial references (eg location)
What are context cues?
Stimuli within the environment that acts as a cue for retrieval.
What are state cues?
An individuals physical, psychological or emotional state which acts as a cue for retrieval.
What does Tulving suggest about how episodic memories are stored and retrieved?
Episodic memories are stored and encoded according to how the information was processed in the sensory state, they are dependent on time and spatial references so they are able to be recalled.
However, these episodic memories are more likely to be retrieved accurately if they are recalled in the same state and context as the originally stored memories.
What does Tulving suggest about how semantic memories are stored and retrieved?
Semantic memories are not stored according to time and spatial references, therefore the memories are able to be accurately recalled not matter the state of mind or context.
What is the encoding specify principle?
Episodic memories are more likely to be accurately retrieved if they are recalled in the same context and state to the originally stored memory. This is because they are linked to time and spatial references.
What experiment supported Tulving ideas on long term memory?
Godden and Baddeleys experiment on deep sea divers
What was the aim of Godden and Baddeleys Deep Sea Diver experiment?
To investigate whether context cues aid the retrieval of information
What was the procedure of Godden and Baddeleys deep sea diver experiment?
Sample of deep sea divers were divided into four groups , they then had to learn and recall a list of words.
One group learnt the words on the beach and retrieved them on the beach
One group learnt the words on the beach but retrieved them under the water
One group learnt the words under the water and retrieved them under the water
One group learnt the words under the water but retrieved them on the beach
What were the result of Godden and Baddeleys deep sea diver experiment?
They found that 40% more words were recalled if they were learnt and recalled in the same context.
This supported Tulving Encoding specificity principle that the same context in which information is learnt will act as a cue for retrieval.
Evaluate the types of Long term memory according to Tulving (8 marks)
Feasibility- strength
Baddeley and Godden- deep sea divers experiment
40% more words were recalled when the divers learnt and retrieved them in the same context
Case Study- KC
KC had a motorcycle accident which damaged their hippocampus
However, only his episodic memory was impaired while his semantic memory was largely unaffected - therefore supporting the idea that semantic memory requires no cues for retrieval as well as the memories being separate from each other.
Usefulness- strength
Strategies and techniques can be implemented through the use of cues for an accurate recall
Aid:
Student exams
Memory impairment individuals
Witnesses of a crime
Trauma- PTSD- treatment
It has a simplistic view on memory processes
Therefore it acts as a Reductionist theory (complex processes are simplified into assumptions)
The idea that episodic and semantic memory is separate.
Accurate recall of Episodic memories needs to ensure that you are in the same state of mind and context ti retrieve and recall.
The theory has only been supported with unrealistic experiments which lack ecological validity and are unrealistic.
Explanation- weakness
Brain scans are usually conducted when asking individuals to recall memories or facts
- Unnatural environment- There is the assumption that the individual is recalling the Episodic memory, however this also could have been tied to a semantic memory
Experiment- unrealistic and artificial - learning words is too simplistic
Additionally, both the experiments and case studies used to support Tulvings ideas lack full feasibility. This is because the case studies used on brain damaged patients will be unique to the individual, which means how their memory was impacted shouldn’t be generalised as peoples memory may be processed or stored differently.
The experiments are artificial and simplistic within their task compared to how memory is used in everyday life.
