Types of long term memory Flashcards
What is episodic LTM?
The memory that gives individuals an autobiographical record of personal experiences, eg when their birthday is.
Who first suggested episodic LTM?
Tulving
What are the strengths of episodic LTM influenced by?
Emotions present at the time a memory is coded.
The degree of processing of info at coding, highly processed episodic events recalled more easily.
What areas of the brain are associated with episodic LTM?
Prefrontal cortex associated with the coding of EM.
Consolidation and storage of memories is the neocortex.
Memories of different parts of event are located in different areas of brain but are all connected by the hippocampus to create a memory of an episode.
What is the procedure for Tulving’s study on memory?
6 volunteers injected with radioactive gold, scanned to detect its location.
Each pp performed 8 successive trials, each lasting 80 secs, 4 semantic & 4 episodic topics in random order.
PP would lie, face up, on a couch with their eyes closed & indulge in either episodic or semantic LTM retrieval.
They picked the topics they would think about, gold injected after 60 secs & scan.
What are the findings of Tulving’s memory study?
3 pp had inconclusive data.
3 showed consistent differences in cortical blood flow patterns between semantic & episodic thinking.
Greater activation in the frontal lobes of cortex during episodic memories.
Give evaluations for Tulving’s memory study
Small sample, so can’t be generalised to the whole population.
What is Semantic LTM?
Contains all knowledge an individual has learned.
What are the strengths of semantic LTM influenced by?
Its positively associated with the degree of processing occurring during coding.
They are better sustained over time than episodic.
What is Vicari et al’s study on semantic LTM?
Case study of CL, 8 year old girl who suffered brain damage due to removal of a tumour. Had deficiencies in her episodic LTM functions but was still able to create and recall semantic memories.
Give evaluations for semantic LTM.
It may involve more of a network of associated links performed in different brain areas rather than being a single form of memory ability. Some links may be stringer than others - so thats why some semantic memories may be easier to recall.
What is Procedural LTM?
A type of implicit memory permitting people to perform learned tasks with little conscious thoughts eg riding a bike and involved in language, using grammar without thinking.
What is Finke et al’s study on procedural LTM?
Case study of PM, 68 year old professional cellist who suffered brain damage after getting encephalitis. Episodic & semantic LTM were very affected. He couldn’t remember music facts but could read and play music normally.
Give evaluations of procedural LTM
Lack of research.
