Types Of Long Term Memory

Question 1

What are the 3 types of long term memory

Answer 1

Episodic,procedural,semantic

Question 2

What is an episodic memory

Answer 2

-personal memories of an event or to us
-episodic memories have 3 elements to it:specific details of the event, the context and emotion eg the people associated in the event
Eg family holiday

Question 3

What is an semantic memory

Answer 3

-shared memories for facts and knowledge about the world
-eg an understanding of what words ,concepts and themes mean

Question 4

What is a procedural memory

Answer 4

-memories of how we do things
-memories are automatic as the result of repeated practice -you can focus your attention on other tasks
Eg riding a bike

Question 5

AO3-strength-evidence support for LTM from brain scans

Answer 5

+the distinction between the 3 kinds of LTM is supported by brain scan research
-Episodic memory is associated with the hippocampus and other parts parts of the temporal lobe,as well as activity in the frontal lobe
-semantic memory relies on the temporal lobe-procedural memory is associated with the cerebellum which Is involved in control of fine motor skills
-therefore, brain scans Show the 3 types of memory are found in diff parts of the brain and so are seperate

Question 6

AO3-weakness-problems wife evidence from patients with brain damage

Answer 6

—it is difficult to reach a firm conclusion by studying brain damage patients
-damage to a particular area of the brain does not mean that the area is responsible for a particular behaviour
-this shows it may be acting as a relay station so malfunction of the relay station would impair performance
-so we can’t establish a relationship between a particular brain region and type of LTM

Question 7

AO3-strength- evidence from case studies

Answer 7

+ evidence from case studies offers further support for diff types of LTM
-the cases of HM and Clive wearing show how one type of LTM may be impaired but other types of LTM is unaffected
-eg Clive was still able to play the piano and understand the concept of music(procedural and semantic) but was unable to remember his wife visiting 5 mins previously (episodic)
-this gives strong support of the idea that different areas of the brain are involved in diff parts of LTM

Question 8

AO3-weakness-lack of reliability using case studies of patients with a brain injury

Answer 8

—it is a problem with using evidence from case studies of individuals who have suffered with brain damage
-the process of brain damage is traumatic which may change the behaviour of someone so underperforms in certain tasks
-case studies are of unique individuals and cannot be generalised to the population
-therefore research did LTM lacks validity and reliability