Types of long term memory Flashcards
What are the types of LTM?
Episodic, Semantic and Procedural
Who introduced the concept of the types of LTM? What is it?
Tulving realised that the MSM’s view of the LTM was too simplistic. He proposed there are three LTM stores.
Explain episodic memory
DECLARATIVE
(It’s in the words)
Episodic memory refers to our ability to recall events (episodes) from our lives. These memories are ‘time-stamped’. A single episode will include several elements, people, places, objects. Conscious effort to recall (declarative) Can be explicitly inspected.
What is episodic memory split into?
-Autobiographical episodic memory: specific memories in one’s life
-Experimental episodic memory: where learning a fact had been associated with a specific episode it was learnt in.
What are flashbulb memories?
Flashbulb memories are detailed autobiographical episodic memories which are stored permanently in the LTM with no rehearsal. This was discovered by Brown and Kulik.
Explain semantic memory
DECLARATIVE
Semantic memory contains our knowledge of the world.
-Less personal (isn’t time-stamped)
-Immense collection of material
-Constantly being added to
Support for Tulving’s theory of the LTM
(real-life applications)
It has real-life applications. Episodic memory is the type of memory most affected by mild cognitive impairments. Belleville et al demonstrated that episodic memories could be improved in older people who had mild cognitive impairments.
The trained participants performed better on a test of episodic memory after training than a control group. Tulving’s theory helped improve day-to-day life, increasing it’s validity.
Weakness for Tulving’s theory of the LTM
(not enough research)
A major weakness of theories for LTM is the lack of research into brain areas that are involved in procedural memory. Case studies into patients with brain damage that affects their procedural memory but not declarative memory is needed to understand this better but such cases are extremely rare. Existing knowledge of procedural memory is limited and theories into the three distinct types of LTM are not entirely complete. Therefore, more research should be conducted in order to validate the idea that LTM has various stores.
Support for Tulving’s theory of the LTM
Evidence to support the idea there are three separate stores. Clive Wearing had brain damage which lost his declarative memory but still had use for his procedural memory.
